Soil radioactivity measurements and estimation of radon/thoron exhalation rate in soil samples from Kalpakkam residential complex

The objective of this study is to compute the primordial radionuclides activity in soil samples and estimate the radon/thoron exhalation rates. A total of 25 locations were chosen for the study at Kalpakkam. Ambient radiation levels were monitored prior to collection of samples, which were subjected to gamma spectrometry. While (238)U concentration was found to be below detectable limit, the activities of (232)Th and (40)K were varying from 34.53 to 1093.11 Bq kg(-1) and 36.6 to 570.08 Bq kg(-1), respectively. The radium equivalent activities (Raeq) were in the range of 83-1574 Bq kg(-1). There was no appreciable radon exhalation, and the thoron surface exhalation rate varied from 942 to 7720 Bq m(-2) h(-1). The annual effective dose was ranging from 0.05 to 0.81 mSv y(-1). Good correlation was observed between (232)Th content and thoron exhalation rate. The details of the study are presented in this article.

Evaluation of sunlight induced structural changes and their effect on the photocatalytic activity of V2O5 for the degradation of phenols

Despite knowing the fact that vanadium pentoxide is slightly soluble in aqueous medium, its photocatalytic activity was evaluated for the degradation of phenol and its derivatives (2-hydroxyphenol, 2-chlorophenol, 2-aminophenol and 2-nitrophenol) in natural sunlight exposure. The prime objective of the study was to differentiate between the homogeneous and heterogeneous photocatalysis incurred by dissolved and undissolved V2O5 in natural sunlight exposure. V2O5 was synthesized by chemical precipitation procedure using Triton X-100 as morphology mediator and characterized by DRS, PLS, Raman, FESEM and XRD. A lower solubility of ∼ 5% per 100ml of water at 23 °C was observed after calcination at 600 °C. The study revealed no contribution of the dissolved V2O5 in the photocatalytic process. In sunlight exposure, V2O5 powder exhibited substantial activity for the degradation, however, a low mineralization of phenolic substrates was observed. The initial low activity of V2O5 followed by a sharp increase both in degradation and mineralization in complete spectrum sunlight exposure, was further investigated that revealed the decrease in the bandgap and the reduction in the particle size with the interaction of UV photons (<420 nm) as this effect was not observable in the exposure of visible region of sunlight. The role of the chemically different substituents attached to an aromatic ring at 2-positions and the secondary interaction of released ions during the degradation process with the reactive oxygen species (ROS) was also explored.

Aggression is associated with aerobic glycolysis in the honey bee brain(1)

Aerobic glycolysis involves increased glycolysis and decreased oxidative catabolism of glucose even in the presence of an ample oxygen supply. Aerobic glycolysis, a common metabolic pattern in cancer cells, was recently discovered in both the healthy and diseased human brain, but its functional significance is not understood. This metabolic pattern in the brain is surprising because it results in decreased efficiency of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production in a tissue with high energetic demands. We report that highly aggressive honey bees (Apis mellifera) show a brain transcriptomic and metabolic state consistent with aerobic glycolysis, i.e. increased glycolysis in combination with decreased oxidative phosphorylation. Furthermore, exposure to alarm pheromone, which provokes aggression, causes a metabolic shift to aerobic glycolysis in the bee brain. We hypothesize that this metabolic state, which is associated with altered neurotransmitter levels, increased glycolytically derived ATP and a reduced cellular redox state, may lead to increased neuronal excitability and oxidative stress in the brain. Our analysis provides evidence for a robust, distinct and persistent brain metabolic response to aggression-inducing social cues. This finding for the first time associates aerobic glycolysis with naturally occurring behavioral plasticity, which has important implications for understanding both healthy and diseased brain function.

Porous silicon nanoparticles as a nanophotocathode for photoelectrochemical water splitting

An investigation on the nanophotocathode fabrication using electrochemically anodised pSi NPs for photoelectrochemical water splitting.

Comparative supercapacitance performance of CuO nanostructures for energy storage device applications

(a)–(c) FE-SEM images of CuO nanoplates on Ni foam, flower-shaped CuO and bud-shaped CuO. (d) Specific capacitance and (d) and (e) Ragone plots of power density vs. energy density according to CuO electrodes in an asymmetrical device.

Enhanced photocatalytic activity of V₂O₅-ZnO composites for the mineralization of nitrophenols

In an effort to enhance the photocatalytic activity of ZnO in natural sunlight, V2O5-ZnO nanocomposites were synthesized by co-precipitation technique. The characterization of the synthesized powders by FESEM, XRD and UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) revealed that the both V2O5 and ZnO retain their individual identity in the composites but the increasing concentration of V2O5 affect the particle size of ZnO. As estimated by photoluminescence spectroscopy, in comparison to pure ZnO, the presence of V2O5 significantly suppressed the charge carrier's recombination process. The photocatalytic activity of the synthesized powders was evaluated for the degradation/mineralization of three potential nitrophenol pollutants (2-nitrophenol, 4-nitrophenol, and 2,4-dinitrophenol). The synthesized composites showed significantly higher activity for both degradation and mineralization of nitrophenols compared to pure ZnO. The progress of the degradation process was evaluated by HPLC while mineralization was monitored by TOC analysis. The degradation/mineralization route was estimated by identifying the intermediates using GC-MS. The correlation of the experimental data revealed that the position of NO2 group in 2- and 4-nitrophenol significantly affect the rate of degradation. The identification of hydroxyl group containing intermediates in the degradation of 4-NP confirmed the formation and vital role of hydroxyl radicals in degradation process. The rapid mineralization of nitrophenol substrates pointed out superoxide anions as major contributors in degradation and mineralization process. The assessment of the release of relevant ions (NO2(-), NO3(-), ONOO(-) and NH4(+)) during the degradation process assisted in identifying the plausible interaction sites.

Persistence behaviour of deltamethrin on tea and its transfer from processed tea to infusion

The dynamics and residues of deltamethrin in a tea grown in an open field ecosystem were investigated. The quantification was performed using gas chromatography-electron capture detection (GC-ECD) and confirmed by gas chromatograph-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) in selective ion monitoring (SIM) mode. The method was validated using blank samples spiked at three levels and the results showed that recoveries ranged from 87% to 101% with relative standard deviations (RSD) ranging of 0.7-7.1%. The residues of deltamethrin were found to dissipate following first order kinetics with half-life ranging between 3.04 and 3.54d for two different rates of foliar application. The deltamethrin residues are present in the processed tea are not transferred into the tea infusion during the infusion process, since their water solubility is extremely low. These results can be utilized in formulating the spray schedule and safety evaluation on deltamethrin tea crop.

Persistence and dissipation of flubendiamide and its risk assessment on gherkin (Cucumis sativus L.)

A supervised open field trial was conducted to evaluate the dissipation pattern and risk assessment of flubendiamide in gherkin fruits following foliar application of Fame 480 SC at 60 and 120 g a.i. ha(-1). Samples of gherkin fruits were drawn at different time intervals and quantified by HPLC-DAD. The maximum initial deposits of flubendiamide on gherkin were found to be 0.79 and 1.52 mg kg(-1), respectively, at recommended and double the recommended doses. The dissipation pattern of flubendiamide followed a first-order kinetics with half-lives of 1.87 to 2.16 days at 60 and 120 g a.i. ha(-1), respectively. The limit of quantification of flubendiamide and desiodo flubendiamide was observed to be 0.01 mg kg(-1) for gherkin fruit and soil substrates. Theoretical maximum residue contribution (TMRC) for flubendiamide was calculated and found to be well below the maximum permissible intake (MPI) on gherkin fruits. Thus, the application of flubendiamide at the recommended dose on gherkin fruits presents no human health risks and safe to consumers.

Morphology controlled bulk synthesis of disc-shaped WO3 powder and evaluation of its photocatalytic activity for the degradation of phenols

The surfactant assisted synthesis of disc-shaped WO3 powder and its photocatalytic performance in sunlight exposure is reported. UV-vis DRS, XRD and FESEM characterized the synthesized WO3. The synthesized powder exhibited a bandgap of ∼2.55eV with cubic lattice and high crystallinity. The photocatalytic activity of the synthesized WO3 was examined for the degradation of phenol, resorcinol, 2-chlorophenol and 2-nitrophenol in complete spectrum and visible segment of sunlight. The highly efficient degradation/mineralization of 2-chloro and 2-nitrophenol compared to that of phenol and resorcinol, under identical experimental conditions, suggested the regulatory role of substituents attached to the aromatic ring in degradation/mineralization process. The time-scale HPLC degradation profiles, identification of intermediates by GC-MS and removal of organic carbon during the course of reaction were utilized to approximate the possible route of degradation/mineralization of phenolic substrates. The measurement of the anions released during the photocatalytic process was used to identify the nature of the major oxidants (O2(•-), OH(•)) and the possible interaction sites. A significant decrease in the photocatalytic activity of synthesized WO3, ∼50%, was observed in visible portion of sunlight however, a sustained activity was observed in the repeated exposures.

Ce3+ impregnated ZnO: a highly efficient photocatalyst for sunlight mediated mineralization

The surface of pre-synthesized hexagonal ZnO was tailored by Ce³⁺ states.

Dynamics and residues of mixed formulation of fenamidone and mancozeb in gherkin field ecosystem

The dynamics and residues of mixed formulation of fenamidone and mancozeb in a gherkin field ecosystem were investigated. The quantification was performed using gas chromatography-electron capture detection (GC-ECD) and UV-vis spectrophotometry for fenamidone and mancozeb residues, respectively. The method was validated using blank samples spiked at three levels and the results showed that recoveries ranged from 92 to 98 and 90 to 96 percent with relative standard deviations (RSD) ranging of 0.78-5.9 and 2.04-4.41 percent for fenamidone and mancozeb, respectively. The compound degradation followed a first order kinetics with half-lives of 2.8-2.82 and 2.02-2.26 days, for fenamidone and mancozeb, respectively. Pesticide residues in fruit were below the EU maximum residue level (MRL) after 10 days for fenamidone (0.02 µg/g) and just after treatment for mancozeb (2 µg/g). These results can be utilized in formulating the spray schedule and safety evaluation for these pesticides in gherkin.

Bioanalytical method development, validation and quantification of dorsomorphin in rat plasma by LC-MS/MS

The present investigation describes the development and validation of a sensitive liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method for the estimation of dorsomorphin in rat plasma. A sensitive LC-MS/MS method was developed using multiple reaction monitoring mode, with the transition of m/z (Q1/Q3) 400.2/289.3 for dorsomorphin and m/z (Q1/Q3) 306.2/236.3 for zaleplon. Chromatographic separation was achieved on a reverse phase Agilent XDB C18 column (100 × 4.6 mm, 5 µm). The mobile phase consisted of acetonitrile and 5 mm ammonium acetate buffer (pH 6.0) 90:10 v/v, at a flow rate of 0.8 mL/min. The effluence was ionized in positive ion mode by electrospray ionization (ESI) and quantitated by mass spectrometry. The retention times of dorsomorphin and internal standard were found to be 2.13 and 1.13 min, respectively. Mean extraction recovery of dorsomorphin and internal standard in rat plasma was above 80%. Dorsomorphin calibration curve in rat plasma was linear (r(2) ≥ 0.99) ranging from 0.005 to 10 µg/mL. Inter-day and intra-day precision and accuracy were found to be within 85-115% (coefficient of variation). This method was successfully applied for evaluation of the oral pharmacokinetic profile of dorsomorphin in male Wistar rats.

Multiresidue analysis of organochlorine pesticides in milk, egg and meat by GC-ECD and confirmation by GC-MS

A multiresidue method was developed and optimized for the quantification of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in milk, egg and meat samples. Sample extraction was performed by adopting QuEChERS principle and the extracts were cleaned-up dispersive solid-phase extraction with primary secondary amine after salting out with NaCl and MgSO(4). Analysis was carried out by gas chromatography coupled with electron capture detector and confirmation by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The performance of the method was investigated in terms of linearity, accuracy, precision, detection limit and quantification limit (LOQ). Good linearity was obtained, with correlation coefficients (r(2)) higher than 0.992. Mean recoveries were found in the ranges 72%-108%, 74%-101% and 75.27%-104.56% for the milk, egg and meat, respectively, RSD % turned out to range from 0.28% to 10.05%. The method developed was successfully tested on commercial milk, egg, and meat samples from the markets of Tamil Nadu (India), proving to be a useful tool in routine analysis of OCPs for monitoring purposes. None of the compounds of interest were observed above their respective LOQ.

An improved method of transcutaneous cisterna magna puncture for cerebrospinal fluid sampling in rats

A simple, reproducible and chronic technique of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) collection in rats was developed by direct cisterna magna (CM) puncture utilizing stereotaxic apparatus. CSF collection apparatus was constructed using 1 mL syringe, silicone tubing, 21G disposable needle and water. Animal was placed on an elevated platform over stereotaxic apparatus base and puncture site was identified with the aid of stereotaxic co-ordinates. The volume of CSF collected varied from 100 to 180 μL with mean CSF volume of 150 μL. Neurological deficits were recorded according to the modified Bederson's scoring system 24h post CSF collection and differential cell count in CSF samples was performed. Animals continued to be normal with regular feed intake and gained body weight (∼24%) even after repeated sampling for four weeks and showed no severe neurological deficits (mean Bederson score<1 for four weeks). Neuropharmacokinetic data for Phenytoin sodium, MS 275 and Valproic acid (VPA) demonstrated CSF uptake with CSF(AUC)/plasma(AUC) ratio (K(p,CSF)) of 0.09, 0.01 and 0.33, respectively. This model exemplifies the 3R's of animal use and has been successfully implemented at Orchid Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals Limited for lead optimization of CNS penetrating HDAC inhibitors.

Persistence behaviour of thiacloprid residues in/on green tea leaves, processed tea and tea infusion

Thiacloprid residues were estimated in green tea leaves, processed tea and tea infusion by HPLC-Diode Array detection. The average initial deposits of thiacloprid (Alanto 240 SC) on the green tea leaves were found to be 3.72 and 6.77 μg g(-1) at single and double doses, respectively. The results showed that thiacloprid dissipated faster in green tea leaves following a first order reaction kinetics at both application rates. The amount of dissipation in 14 days was 93.37% and 91.62% for single and double doses respectively. Half life (T(1/2)) for degradation of thiacloprid in green tea leaves were observed to be 3.34 and 3.58 days at single and double doses respectively. Thiacloprid residues in processed tea ranged from 0.16 to 0.63 μg g(-1) on seventh day and no residues could be detected on 14th day at single dose. Infusion study indicated that thiacloprid did not infuse into tea liquor from processed tea. The limit of determination was found to be 0.05 μg g(-1).

MRI of the cervical spine with neck extension: is it useful?

OBJECTIVES

Standard MRI of the cervical spine is performed in a different anatomical position to that utilised for traditional contrast myelography. Those well practised in myelography are familiar with the considerable changes in configuration of the bony and soft tissues of the cervical spine that may occur with changes in the degree of neck flexion and extension. We set out to compare the findings in a select group of patients with myeloradiculopathy who had undergone myelography and MRI in both standard and neck-extended positions. These findings were correlated with the clinical status.

METHODS

29 patients underwent myelography with CT (CTM) and MRI in neutral and neck-extended positions. The imaging was assessed for the degree of cord compression and neural foraminal narrowing, quantified using a simple grading scheme suitable for routine clinical practice. The degree of neck extension was assessed using an angular measurement.

RESULTS

For both CTM and MRI, scanning with the neck extended significantly increases the severity of cord compression compared with the standard supine position, to a degree similar to that shown during conventional prone myelography. The degree of perceived cord compression is related to the degree of neck extension achieved. Correlation of standard MRI findings and the clinical level of radiculopathy is poor. This correlation improves when the neck is extended.

CONCLUSIONS

The most appropriate position for routine MRI of the cervical spine in degenerative disease remains unknown, but in selected patients imaging with the neck extended may provide important additional information.

A clinical audit of neurosurgical bed usage

AIM

To investigate inefficiencies during patients' stay in neurosurgical beds.

METHODS

A prospective audit of neurosurgical inpatients was conducted over approximately 2 months. We recorded the causes and duration of inappropriate delays, defined as actions requiring more that 24 h from initiation until completion.

RESULTS

One-hundred-and-thirty-eight patients were studied (61 elective and 77 emergency admissions). The audited patients were in hospital for a total of 1665 days. Of these, 482 days (29%) were due to delays. 92.5% of these wasted days involved emergency admissions. The main categories of delay were transfer back to referring hospital (46% of all delays), operative (26%) and radiological (19%). Our own hospital was responsible for the longest transfer delays (6.3 days/patient compared with an average of 2.8 for all hospitals). Operative waits arose because of problems with both the timing and capacity of lists. Radiological delays resulted in particular from waits for MRI scans and neuroradiologist-performed procedures. The effect of eliminating all these inappropriate delays would be equivalent to liberating 10.7 of our 37 neurosurgical beds at any one time.

CONCLUSIONS

Clinician-led analysis of organizational aspects of patient care has revealed serious structure, process and capacity problems in efficient bed usage, We have made proposals to address the cause of the inappropriate delays.

Conformationally locked thiosugars as potent α-mannosidase inhibitors: Synthesis, biochemical and docking studies

A series of thiosugar derivatives (thiolevomannosans) derived from mannose were synthesized and their inhibitory activity was tested against alpha-mannosidase (jack bean). These inhibitors were found to be more potent than the well-known inhibitors like kifunensine and deoxymannojirimycin based on docking and biochemical studies. The sulfone derivative 10 was shown to be the best inhibitor of alpha-mannosidase with the K(i) value of 350 nM.

Dissipation kinetics of spiromesifen on tea (Camellia sinensis) under tropical conditions

Spiromesifen (Oberon) is a new insecticide and miticide of chemical class ketoenol active against white flies (Bemisia spp., Trialeuroides spp.) and spider mites (Tetranychus and Panonychus spp.). Due to its potential significance in insect resistance management, it is important to establish its behaviour on crop and environment. In the present study, the degradation/dissipation of spiromesifen on tea crop under tropical environmental conditions was studied and its DT(50) (t(1/2)), and DT(90) (time to reduce to 90% of the initial value) were estimated. Spiromesifen was sprayed on tea crop after first rain flush at four different locations @ 96 and 192ga.i.ha(-1). Samples of tea leaves were drawn at 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, 15, 21 and 30 days after treatment and that of soil at 10 days after treatment and at harvest from 0 to 15 and 15 to 30cm layers. After crude extraction of tea leaves for spiromesifen residues with acetone:water, the contents were partitioned with cyclohexane:ethyl acetate and cleaned up on Florosil column. Soil residues were also extracted similarly. Quantification of residues was done on GC-MS in Selected Ion Monitoring (SIM) mode in mass range 271-274m/z. The LOQ of this method was found to be 0.05microgg(-1) while LOD being 0.015microgg(-1). The DT(50) of spiromesifen when applied at recommended doses in tea leaves was found to be 5.0-8.5 days. Ninety-nine percent degradation was found to occur within 33-57 days after application. In soil, no residues of spiromesifen were detectable 10 days after treatment.

Change in health-related quality of life after cataract surgery in a population-based sample

PURPOSE

To assess the long-term outcomes from cataract surgery on self-rated health, and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in a population-based older sample.

METHODS

Participants of the Blue Mountains Eye Study at the baseline (n=3654), 5 (n=2335), and 10-year follow-up (n=1952) were interviewed and examined. Questionnaires included an assessment of self-rated health and HRQOL using the 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36). Incident cataract surgery was defined if participants had cataract surgery since baseline, and confirmed via lens photographic grading.

RESULTS

There was no statistically significant difference in the proportions of participants who experienced a change in self-rated health between those who had incident cataract surgery (14.1% improvement; 29.1% deterioration) and non-surgical subjects (16.7% improvement; 27.0% deterioration). We found no association between incident cataract surgery and the odds for 10-year change in self-rated health, after multivariate adjustment. In contrast, participants who had incident cataract surgery had a significant improvement in the mean scores of 'mental health' domain of HRQOL (+1.60 vs-2.04, P=0.02) and in the mental component score (+1.43 vs-0.82, P=0.02) than participants who did not undergo surgery. Cataract surgery during follow-up had no significant influence on change in mean scores of other domains or in their physical component score of the SF-36 (-2.57 in participants who had incident surgery vs-2.29 in non-surgical participants, P=0.78).

CONCLUSIONS

We confirmed long-term improvement following cataract surgery in the mental but not in the physical domain of the SF-36 or in answers to a specific self-rated health question.

Refractive change in thyroid eye disease (a neglected clinical sign)

BACKGROUND/AIMS

The literature on refractive change in thyroid eye disease (TED) is limited. This study documents the refractive change in patients with TED undergoing orbital decompression. The authors propose possible mechanisms for their acquired refractive error.

METHODS

This is a retrospective observational case study of five patients with progressive TED. Their detailed eye examinations including refractive state preoperatively and postoperatively are presented.

RESULTS

An acquired hypermetropic shift with active TED before orbital decompression of up to 3.75 D spherical equivalent refraction (SER) is reported in one patient. Post-orbital decompression, an induced myopic shift of between 1.00-2.50 D SER for all patients is observed, noted to range from 1 day following surgery to up to 9 months, dependent on the availability of data. Axial length increased in two cases corresponding to postoperative myopic shift. Magnetic resonance imaging findings of one patient demonstrate flattening of the posterior pole as a cause of the acquired preoperative hypermetropia.

CONCLUSIONS

TED has a significant effect on the refractive state of patients. The proposed mechanism of acquired hypermetropia relates to increased volume of orbital contents with flattening of the posterior globe. This is reversed with successful orbital decompression. Documentation of refractive error in all cases of progressive TED is recommended. Progressive acquired hypermetropia may be suggestive of TED activity.

Rice husk filtrate as a nutrient medium for the growth of Desulfotomaculum nigrificans: characterisation and sulfate reduction studies

The filtrate obtained by interacting a known amount of rice husk with deionised, Milli-Q water was assessed as a carbon source and nutrient medium for the growth of Desulfotomaculum nigrificans, a typical sulfate-reducing bacterium. The filtrate contained essential growth constituents such as magnesium, potassium, phosphorous apart from calcium, sodium, chloride and sulfate ions. Based on the 1H and 13C NMR characterization studies, the organic composition of the components dissolved from the rice husk, was found to be: (i) 66% lignocellulosic material, (ii) 24% xylose+arabinose and (iii) 10% galactose. The growth studies indicated a 15-fold increase in the bacterial cell number in about 20 days. Nearly 81% and 66% reduction in sulfate concentration could be achieved in about 28 days, from the solutions containing initial sulfate concentrations of 550 mg/l and 1200 mg/l respectively. In both the cases studied, the iron concentration could be reduced by over 85%.

But-2-ynylbisoxycarbonyl chloride: a novel C2-symmetric reagent for the protection of amines and amino acids

[reaction: see text] A novel C2-symmetric protecting group for amines, the but-2-ynylbisoxycarbonyl (Bbc) group, is developed, which can be deblocked with tetrathiomolybdate under neutral conditions. One equivalent of the bischloroformate, BbcCl, is used for the protection of 2 equiv of the amine. Its application in peptide synthesis is established through the synthesis of a tripeptide, and its orthogonality with Cbz, Fmoc, and Boc groups has been studied.

Mechanistic studies on percutaneous penetration enhancement by N-(4-halobenzoyl)-S,S-dimethyliminosulfuranes

Halogen-substituted iminosulfuranes are transdermal penetration enhancers (TPEs) in permeation studies using hairless mouse or human cadaver skin. The interaction of N--(4--R-benzoyl)-S,S-dimethyliminosulfuranes 1--4, where R=H, Cl, Br, and I, with l-alpha-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DMPC) has been studied using differential scanning calorimetry, isothermal titration calorimetry, nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopy (NOESY), and NMR spectroscopy, and by calculation of the iminosulfurane polarizabilities in order to elucidate the molecular basis of the TPE activity. The active compounds reduce the melting temperature of the gel-to-liquid-crystal phase transition and induce multiple components in the transition excess heat capacity profile. The partitioning of the bromo derivative 3, the most active compound, into DMPC is unique in that 3 may be trapped in the bilayer, affording an enhanced residence time and a reason for its high TPE activity. The entropy decrease associated with the transfer of 3 to the bilayer is much lower than that for the other compounds, indicating that 3 occupies or induces sites that afford it considerable local motional freedom. Correlations between the iminosulfurane TPE activities, the partition coefficients, and NOESY crosspeak volume were observed. Molecular polarizabilities are not consistent with a TPE mode of action involving interaction of these agents with protein side chains.

Microwave-assisted synthesis and anti-bacterial activity of some 2-amino-6-aryl-4-(2-thienyl)pyrimidines

Some novel 2-amino-6-aryl-4-(2-thienyl)pyrimidines were synthesized from 3-aryl-1-thien-2-ylprop-2-en-1-ones and guanidine hydrochloride in presence of alkali by conventional heating in alcoholic medium and microwave heating in solvent-free conditions. The compounds were evaluated for in vitro anti-bacterial activity. The anti-bacterial data revealed that compounds 5a-e had better activity against tested gram-positive organisms than the reference ciprofloxacin and norfloxacin. However, the compounds were nearly inactive against gram-negative bacteria. Compounds 5c and e were the most active compounds against gram-positive bacteria.

Efficient Methodology for the Synthesis of 2-C-Branched Glyco-amino Acids by Ring Opening of 1,2-Cyclopropanecarboxylated Sugars

An efficient methodology for the synthesis of 2-C-branched glyco-amino acid derivatives by diastereoselective ring opening of 1,2-cyclopropanecarboxylated sugars in good yields is reported. [reaction--see text]