Formulation of sage essential oil (Salvia officinalis,L.) monoterpenes into chitosan hydrogels and permeation study with GC-MS analysis

This study deals with the formulation of natural drugs into hydrogels. For the first time, compounds from the sage essential oil were formulated into chitosan hydrogels. A sample preparation procedure for hydrophobic volatile analytes present in a hydrophilic water matrix along with an analytical method based on the gas chromatography coupled with the mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was developed and applied for the evaluation of the identity and quantity of essential oil components in the hydrogels and saline samples. The experimental results revealed that the chitosan hydrogels are suitable for the formulation of sage essential oil. The monoterpene release can be effectively controlled by both chitosan and caffeine concentration in the hydrogels. Permeation experiment, based on a hydrogel with the optimized composition [3.5% (w/w) sage essential oil, 2.0% (w/w) caffeine, 2.5% (w/w) chitosan and 0.1% (w/w) Tween-80] in donor compartment, saline solution in acceptor compartment, and semi-permeable cellophane membrane, demonstrated the useful permeation selectivity. Here, (according to lipophilicity) an enhanced permeation of the bicyclic monoterpenes with antiflogistic and antiseptic properties (eucalyptol, camphor and borneol) and, at the same time, suppressed permeation of toxic thujone (not exceeding its permitted applicable concentration) was observed. These properties highlight the pharmaceutical importance of the developed chitosan hydrogel formulating sage essential oil in the dermal applications.     

Lignin from Annual Plants as Raw Material Source for Flavors and Basic Chemicals

The enzymatic conversion of lignins, possibly in combination with electrochemical oxidation, makes aromatics such as syringol, guaiacol, vanillin and catechol available in the qualities required by the fragrance industry. The lignins were obtained by soda digestion from wheat straw and Miscanthus, characterized and then converted with laccases. The overall yield amounted up to 9 wt % with a product spectrum confined to four substances. Catechol was the major product, with a fraction of ≈75 %. It can easily be isolated by extraction with acetone.     

Narrow-band correction of the residual amplitude modulation in frequency-modulation spectroscopy

We have developed a narrow-band controller in the MHz range, based on a field-programmable gate array. It is used to control the probe beam intensity in frequency-modulated spectroscopy experiments with an acoustooptic modulator. The residual amplitude modulation at the modulation frequency (2.5 MHz) is reduced by 50 dB. The first-harmonic detection of the signals is operated in saturation spectroscopy of I/sub 2/ at 514.5 nm and 501.7 nm. A reduction of the background noise and a large increase in the signal-to-noise ratio are obtained.     

Ozonation of Two Acidic Azo Dyes with Different Substituents

The ozonation of two differently substituted azo dyes (Schwarz GRS and Orange Acid 8) in water media is studied. The influence of pH on the effectiveness of the ozonation at various initial concentrations of each dye is explored. It was found out that the rates of decolorization for amino-group substituted dyes reflect the considerable influence by the widely varying initial pH from 4.5 to 10. Specifically, the highest effect of decolorization of this dye was obtained at the highest pH studied (pH 10) for all initial concentrations of the solutions. Considering the dye without an amino-group substitute, the rates of color disappearance in ozonation reflected to a lower degree the variations of the initial pH. Pseudo-first-order trends of decolorization were observed in all the experimental runs. Regarding the kinetic results obtained, an attempt to explain the different dyes reactivity was made based on the absolute electronegativity (E_lumo + E_homo) of both dyes. The COD/BOD analysis shows that the ozonation of both azo dyes can reduce the sample COD but it could not improve the biodegradability ratio (BOD₅/COD). BOD decrease with ozonation time indicates that the intermediates of the ozonation are of lower biodegradability. Oxalic acid was found as the final product of ozonation of both dyes.     

Stability studies on methyl and ethyl fatty acid esters of sunflowerseed oil

Fatty acid esters, high in linoleic acid, were prepared and stored for long-term engine tests. Storage tests with these esters were undertaken to obtain more information on optimal storage requirements and general stability characteristics. Samples were kept at three temperature levels (20 C, 30 C and fluctuating around 50 C) for a 90-day period and were removed at regular intervals for chemical and physical analysis. The influence of air, temperature, light, TBHQ and contact with mild steel was evaluated by comparing the free fatty acid, peroxide, anisidine, ultraviolet absorption, viscosity and induction periods. A statistical model was used to evaluate the data and to reduce the large number of data points to comparable curves. Storage of esters in contact with air, especially at a temperature above 30 C, resulted in significant increases in peroxide, ultraviolet absorption, free fatty acid, viscosity and anisidine values. Exclusion of air retarded oxidation at all temperature levels. A direct relationship between viscosity increases and oxidation parameters was evident. Exposure to light caused a small increase in the oxidation parameters of esters stored at the highest temperature level. Addition of TBHQ prevented oxidation of samples stored under moderate conditions. Under unfavorable storage conditions the anti-oxidant was no longer effective. Mild steel had very little effect on the oxidation parameters. Only the anisidine values of samples stored at the highest temperature level were slightly increased. Methyl esters performed slightly better than ethyl esters during the storage test. The following practical guidelines for storage of fatty acid ester fuels are: (i) airtight containers should be used; (ii) the storage temperature should be <30 C; (iii) mild steel (rust free) containers may be used, and (iv) TBHQ has a beneficial effect on oxidation stability.     

HIPAA's Effect on Web Site Privacy Policies

Healthcare institutions typically post their privacy practices online as privacy policy documents. We conducted a longitudinal study that examines the effects of HIPAA's enactment on a collection of privacy policy documents for a fixed set of organizations over a four-year period. We present our analysis of 24 healthcare privacy policy documents from nine healthcare Web sites, analyzed using goal mining, a content-analysis method that supports extraction of useful information about institutions' privacy practices from documents. We compare our results to our pre-HIPAA study of these same institutions' online privacy practices and evaluate their evolution in the presence of privacy laws     

Xylose-lysine model systems: The effect of pH on the volatile reaction products

Aqueous molal solutions of xylose and lysine (initial pH 4–9) were refluxed either with control of the pH at 5–0 or without pH control (final pH 2–6). Analysis by gas chromatography (GC) and GC-mass spectrometry resulted in the identification of 58 and 28 compounds, respectively, from the two systems. Furans were the main reaction products in both systems and 2-furfural alone comprised 522 and 999 g kg^?1 of the volatiles, respectively, from the systems with final pH values of 5–0 and 2–6. Maintaining the pH at 5–0 resulted in a higher yield and greater numbers of nitrogen-containing compounds, and monocyclic pyrroles, pyridines and 2,3-dihydro-l H-pyrrolizines were identified only in that system. Aliphatic compounds, alicyclic compounds, benzene derivatives. l-(2–furfuryl)pyrroles and pyrazines were also identified. This investigation is the first report of the formation of 2.3-dihydro-l H-pyrrolizines in a model system containing lysine as the amino compound; a possible mechanism is proposed.     

Radiation demineralised bone enhanced osteoinductive capacity after transplantation

Using a mediating alkyne gas during the radiation treatment prevents the degradation of natural and synthetic polysaccharides and proteins. The product has higher viscosity and is more elastic than the original material and, therefore, gives enhanced functionality. Protein, within demineralised bone, too can be modified to give enhanced osteoinductive capacity after transplantation. Thus new functionalities can be achieved from the new products produced in food and medical products.