Variations of iridoid oleuropein in Italian olive varieties during growth and maturation

This research paper reports on the concentrations of oleuropein in fruits of seven Italian olive cultivars. These oleuropein levels, during fruit growth and maturation, were monitored by taking olive samples from the same olive trees grown in Middle Italy. A novel high‐resolution gas chromatography (HRGC) oleuropein quantification method and a new high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method were developed. The olive fruits showed high contents of oleuropein, which were greatly influenced by the olive cultivar (genetic store) factor. The stage of fruit growth and maturation was another factor strongly affecting the contents of iridoid oleuropein in olive drupes, whatever the olive cultivar considered. Green olives had much higher concentrations of this biofunctional glucoside, which decreased regularly during fruit growth and ripeness. No differences were observed between the two developed oleuropein quantification methods, which gave, for all the olive cultivars, average values of fruit oleuropein contents that were not statistically different. These two reliable repetitive methods, noticeably the HPLC one (which also showed a lower running time), could be used for routine determination of oleuropein in olive drupes. We observed that, in general, olive cultivars having high oleuropein concentrations in the fruits were also characterized by marked oleuropein contents in the leaves.     

Area-time-power tradeoff in cellular arrays VLSI implementations

Designing pipelined cellular arrays for arithmetical purposes, the choice of circuit design style is crucial. Usually, this choice is made by establishing an optimal area-time-power tradeoff. In order to achieve this result, analysis and simulations of the whole designed array have to be repeatedly performed for several design styles. This paper presents a methodology that allows the same result to be obtained avoiding time-consuming simulations of an entire array. The proposed technique is based on an appropriate partitioning of the arrays into small subcircuits. The features of the latter are analytically recomposed to evaluate performances and costs of an array of any size for various design approaches     

HS-SPME coupled to GC/MS for quality control of Juniperus communis L. berries used for gin aromatization

HS-SPME coupled to GC/MS was applied to the analysis of the volatile fraction of Juniperus communis L. berries, which are the principal ingredient used for gin aromatization. Seventy seven compounds were identified by comparison with reference compounds or tentatively identified by comparing their mass spectra and retention index with those reported in mass spectra libraries and literature, respectively. Seventy four were detected by SPME and sixty eight were detected by solvent distillation extraction (SDE). These were mainly mono- and sesquiterpenic compounds that represented more than the 80% of the gin’s volatile composition. A high percent content was due to monoterpenoids, whose analysis could be important for the assessment of sensory quality control of juniper due to their impact on gin aroma. The main monoterpenoids detected in the headspace of the juniper berries from two periods of collection were terpinen-4-ol, p-cymene, β-myrcene, γ-terpinene, α-pinene and limonene. These represented more than the 70% of the sample’s volatile fraction. The proposed SPME method required short times and the low cost of analysis and enabled to detect a number of compounds comparable with SDE or much higher than the number of compounds reported by other extraction techniques. The results suggested the suitability of this technique for the assessment of the volatile composition of juniper berries intended for gin flavouring.     

Modelling waveguiding photonic bandgap structures by leaky modepropagation method

A model of one-dimensional fully etched waveguiding photonic bandgap (FWPBG) structures, based on the leaky mode propagation (LMP) method, is proposed for the first time, to perform a complete analysis of the propagating characteristics including the radiation loss for a structure of finite extension     

Lithiated short side chain perfluorinated sulfonic ionomeric membranes: Water content and conductivity

In view of possible applications as single-ion electrolyte for lithium batteries, some aspects of the lithium form of Hyflon Ion ionomer, a sulfonic short side chain (SSC) electrolyte, have been investigated. The synthesis of the ionomer and the successive membrane preparation is reported. An appropriate methodology for the direct salification of the ionomeric membrane from the SO₂F form to lithium salt, using lithium hydroxide in absence of organic solvent has been found. Utilizing these SSC lithium ionomer membranes and though a particular methodology for the dehydration of the lithium ion membrane in non-aqueous media, it has been possible to achieve an ionic conductivity of 10⁻³ S cm⁻¹ at room temperature [W. Navarrini, S. Panero, B. Scrosati, A. Sanguineti, European Patent 1,403,958 A1 (2003)]. Surprisingly it was observed that the membrane ionic conductivity depends on the dehydration methodologies adopted.     

Proton-conducting membranes based on protic ionic liquids

New classes of proton-conducting membranes formed by incorporating Brönsted acid–base ionic liquids in a poly(vinyldenefluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) PVdF polymer matrix, are here reported and discussed. We show that these membranes are characterized by high, thermally stable proton conductivity. However, this favourable property is in part contrasted by the release of the ionic liquid component, which may affect the long-term stability of the membranes. Various strategies are underway in our laboratory to solve this issue, and in this work we describe one of them, based on the dispersion of selected ceramic fillers in the polymer matrix. We show that this approach, while successful in enhancing the conductivity of the membranes, is not much effective in preventing the release of the ionic liquid component and thus, that other roads have to be explored to reach a satisfactory improvement of the integrity of the membrane.     

Analytical approach for thermal and electrical design of multilayerstructure integrated devices

An analytical method for the electrothermal design of multilayer structure integrated devices is presented. It can be easily applied to a large variety of devices and is independent of the specific physical properties of the layers, also accounting for the temperature dependence of the thermal conductivity     

Greywater recycling in Vietnam — Application of the HUBER MBR process

Greywater is the part of domestic wastewater that is free of faeces. The volume and concentration of this separately collected wastewater flow depend on the consumer behaviour and vary according to its source. The average amount of greywater produced per day in a German household is 70 l per person, which is more than 50% of the total wastewater production [5]. This figure corresponds with the average figures provided for Chinese households (80 l per person/day, GB/T 50331-2002), but significantly exceeds the South African average of 20 l per person and day [1].Compared to domestic wastewater, greywater generally contains less organic pollutants, less nutrients but a high amount of tensides. The effluent from bath tubs, showers or wash hand basins contains for example a by approx. two decimal orders lower number of total and faecal coliform bacteria (Escherichiacoli) [2] and [6].Due to its relatively low content of pollutants, greywater is easy to treat with MBRs. The pollutants contained are decomposed by the bacteria of the activated sludge tank. The following membrane filtration unit separates the treated greywater from the activated sludge. The treated greywater is of high quality and hygienically safe so that it can be reused, alone or combined with rain water, for toilet flushing water, laundry washing or for irrigation purposes.Within the scope of the SANSED II research project HUBER has been successful in adapting the MBR system for greywater treatment to the specific conditions in Vietnam and testing the system in operation in a small city in the Mekong delta, South Vietnam. The wastewater from kitchen sinks and the bathrooms of a dormitory on the campus of Can Tho University was clarified in the HUBER GreyUse^® plant over a period of three months. The project aim was the production of high quality service water from greywater for safe reuse as toilet flush water.     

Modulation on C‐ and N‐Terminal Moieties of a Series of Potent and Selective Linear Tachykinin NK2 Receptor Antagonists

Herein we describe the synthesis of a series of new potent tachykinin NK₂ receptor antagonists by the modulation of the C‐ and N‐terminal moieties of ibodutant (MEN 15596, 1 ). The N‐terminal benzo[b]thiophene ring was replaced by different substituted naphthalenes and benzofurans, while further modifications were evaluated at the C‐terminal tetrahydropyran moiety. Most compounds demonstrated a high affinity for the human NK₂ receptor and high in vitro antagonist potency, indicating that a wide range of substituents at both termini can be incorporated in the molecule without detrimental effects on the interactions with the NK₂ receptor. Selected compounds were tested in vivo confirming their activity as NK₂ antagonists. In particular, after both iv and id administration to guinea pig, compound 61 b was able to antagonize NK₂‐induced colonic contractions with a potency and duration‐of‐action fully comparable to the reference compound 1 (MEN 15596, ibodutant).     

Investigation of the phase separation of PNIPAM using infrared spectroscopy together with multivariate data analysis

The use of vibrational spectroscopy to investigate complex structural changes in polymers yields chemically rich data, but interpretation can be challenging and subtle but meaningful spectral changes may be missed through visual inspection alone. Multivariate analysis is an efficient approach to gain an oversight of small but systematic spectral differences anywhere within the spectra, providing further insight into structural changes and associated transformation mechanisms. In this study, the novel analytical approach of infrared spectroscopy combined with principal component analysis and Gaussian peak fitting was used to investigate the structural changes in aqueous solutions of a polymer, using poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) (PNIPAM) in the atactic form and with controlled tacticity as a model system. Subtle spectral changes associated with the dehydration and phase separation upon heating included peak shifts, an area ratio change of the amide I band to the amide II band and formation of a new peak in the amide I band were efficiently detected. Dehydration and phase separation of PNIPAM occurred in two temperature ranges, one for the atactic and one for isotactic rich part, both involving a complex re-organization of the hydrogen bonds and change of the hydration layer. The changes agreed with existing results from other techniques, and new insights were gained into the effect of controlled tacticity on phase transformation behaviour. The study demonstrates that infrared spectroscopy combined with the multivariate analytical method principal component analysis and Gaussian peak fitting is an efficient approach to probing structural change in polymers during heating. The simplicity of the presented approach could find excellent use in analysing and understanding the molecular environment of a range of stimuli-responsive polymers, for instance block or grafted types of polymers, as well as those with controlled tacticity.