Infrared Spectra of Nitrated Polymeric Carbohydrates

Nitrated Polymeric carbohydrates are not very pure when used, as their physical constants are neither sharp nor unique for positive identification purposes. The ingredients of explosives are so numerous and it was considered beyond the scope of this investigation to include them.     

The Stability of Dextran Nitrate

The stability properties of dextran nitrates, prepared by nitric acid alone and by mixed acids, have been determined and their stabilisation has been also attempted. While the stability of the crude dextran nitrates varied appreciably according to the method of preparation, the stabilised forms possessed closely similar stability properties. The stability of the nitrated α-D-glucose polymeric carbohydrate dextran, as previously reported in the case of other α-D-glucose polymeric carbohydrate nitrates, is now apparently found much lower than that of the nitrated β-D-glucose polymeric carbohydrate cellulose.     

Large-scale channel characterization at 28 GHz on a university campus in the United Arab Emirates

Telecommunication Systems - Millimeter wave (mm-wave) communication is one of the key enabling technologies for meeting the requirements of the fifth generation (5G) wireless communication systems....     

Nitratability of Dextrans

Nitratability of three different polymeric dextrans with predominantly α-1,6-linked anhydro-D-glucopyranose units was studied in different nitrating agents. The degree of substitution (D. S.) increases with increase of the absolute nitric acid/dextran ratio. Due to gelatinization of dextrans in this medium, this nitrating agent is comparatively less effective for dextran nitration than for starch with predominantly α-1,4-D-glycosidic linkages; the latter has great affinity to dissolution in this medium. Nearly complete nitrations (D. S., 2.96) were readily obtained from dextrans by nitration in presence of 25% each of acetic acid and acetic anhydride. In nitric-sulphuric acids mixtures the nitratability of dextran is mainly a function of acids composition. Gelatinization occurred in mixed acids containing up to 20% H₂SO₄. Successful nitrations (D. S., ca. 2.6) were always obtained, however, from mixed acids containing 38% or more sulphuric acid, but the use of 62% sulphuric acid is more economic for industry. The sulphate content is greatly dependent on the acids composition and it is, as well, affected by the chemical nature of the corresponding dextran.     

β-Caryophyllene Induces Apoptosis and Inhibits Angiogenesis in Colorectal Cancer Models

Beta-Caryophyllene (BCP), a naturally occurring sesquiterpene abundantly found in cloves, hops, and cannabis, is the active candidate of a relatively new group of vascular-inhibiting compounds that aim to block existing tumor blood vessels. Previously, we have reported the anti-cancer properties of BCP by utilizing a series of in-vitro anti-tumor-related assays using human colorectal carcinoma cells. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of BCP on in-vitro, ex-vivo, and in-vivo models of anti-angiogenic assays and evaluate its anti-cancer activity in xenograft tumor (both ectopic and orthotopic) mice models of human colorectal cancer. Computational structural analysis and an apoptosis antibody array were also performed to understand the molecular players underlying this effect. BCP exhibited strong anti-angiogenic activity by blocking the migration of endothelial cells, tube-like network formation, suppression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) secretion from human umbilical vein endothelial cells and sprouting of rat aorta microvessels. BCP has a probable binding at Site#0 on the surface of VEGFR2. Moreover, BCP significantly deformed the vascularization architecture compared to the negative control in a chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane assay. BCP showed a remarkable reduction in tumor size and fluorescence molecular tomography signal intensity in all the mice treated with BCP, in a dose-dependent relationship, in ectopic and orthotopic tumor xenograft models, respectively. The histological analysis of the tumor from BCP-treated mice revealed a clear reduction of the density of vascularization. In addition, BCP induced apoptosis through downregulation of HSP60, HTRA, survivin, and XIAP, along with the upregulation of p21 expressions. These results suggest that BCP acts at multiple stages of angiogenesis and could be used as a promising therapeutic candidate to halt the growth of colorectal tumor cells.