Synthesis and structure of polymorph B of zeolite Beta

[EN] It was found that either polymorph B or polymorph C of zeolite beta can be obtained from the same structure directing agent: 4,4-dimethyl-4-azonia-tricyclo[5.2.2.0(2,6)] undec-8-ene hydroxide. The synthesis occurs through a consecutive process where polymorph B is first formed and then transformed into polymorph C. It is possible to produce a zeolite highly enriched in polymorph B, provided that the transformation of this phase into polymorph C is slowed down up to the point where polymorph C is only detected at trace levels. The structure of polymorph B was determined for the first time by electron crystallography with SAED and HRTEM from areas of unfaulted polymorph B crystals.Financial support from the Spanish Government (Project MAT2006-14274-C02–01) and the EU Commission (TOPCOMBI Project) is gratefully acknowledged. M.M. thanks CSIC for an I3P grant. J.S. is supported by a postdoctoral grant from the Carl Trygger Foundation. The Berzelii Centre EXSELENT is supported by the Swedish Research Council (VR) and the Swedish Governmental Agency for Innovation Systems (VINNOVA).Corma Canós, A.; Moliner Marin, M.; Cantin Sanz, A.; Díaz Cabañas, MJ.; Jorda Moret, JL.; Zhang, D.; Sun, J.... (2008). Synthesis and structure of polymorph B of zeolite Beta. Chemistry of Materials. 20(9):3218-3223. doi:10.1021/cm8002244S3218322320

Albiglutide and cardiovascular outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease (Harmony Outcomes): a double-blind, randomised placebo-controlled trial

Background: Glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists differ in chemical structure, duration of action, and in their effects on clinical outcomes. The cardiovascular effects of once-weekly albiglutide in type 2 diabetes are unknown. We aimed to determine the safety and efficacy of albiglutide in preventing cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke. Methods: We did a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial in 610 sites across 28 countries. We randomly assigned patients aged 40 years and older with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease (at a 1:1 ratio) to groups that either received a subcutaneous injection of albiglutide (30–50 mg, based on glycaemic response and tolerability) or of a matched volume of placebo once a week, in addition to their standard care. Investigators used an interactive voice or web response system to obtain treatment assignment, and patients and all study investigators were masked to their treatment allocation. We hypothesised that albiglutide would be non-inferior to placebo for the primary outcome of the first occurrence of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke, which was assessed in the intention-to-treat population. If non-inferiority was confirmed by an upper limit of the 95% CI for a hazard ratio of less than 1·30, closed testing for superiority was prespecified. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02465515. Findings: Patients were screened between July 1, 2015, and Nov 24, 2016. 10 793 patients were screened and 9463 participants were enrolled and randomly assigned to groups: 4731 patients were assigned to receive albiglutide and 4732 patients to receive placebo. On Nov 8, 2017, it was determined that 611 primary endpoints and a median follow-up of at least 1·5 years had accrued, and participants returned for a final visit and discontinuation from study treatment; the last patient visit was on March 12, 2018. These 9463 patients, the intention-to-treat population, were evaluated for a median duration of 1·6 years and were assessed for the primary outcome. The primary composite outcome occurred in 338 (7%) of 4731 patients at an incidence rate of 4·6 events per 100 person-years in the albiglutide group and in 428 (9%) of 4732 patients at an incidence rate of 5·9 events per 100 person-years in the placebo group (hazard ratio 0·78, 95% CI 0·68–0·90), which indicated that albiglutide was superior to placebo (p<0·0001 for non-inferiority; p=0·0006 for superiority). The incidence of acute pancreatitis (ten patients in the albiglutide group and seven patients in the placebo group), pancreatic cancer (six patients in the albiglutide group and five patients in the placebo group), medullary thyroid carcinoma (zero patients in both groups), and other serious adverse events did not differ between the two groups. There were three (<1%) deaths in the placebo group that were assessed by investigators, who were masked to study drug assignment, to be treatment-related and two (<1%) deaths in the albiglutide group. Interpretation: In patients with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, albiglutide was superior to placebo with respect to major adverse cardiovascular events. Evidence-based glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists should therefore be considered as part of a comprehensive strategy to reduce the risk of cardiovascular events in patients with type 2 diabetes. Funding: GlaxoSmithKline

Isolation, characterization and identification of bioactive compounds from Herbal Medicines and Medicinal Plant Extracts by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy: A brief review

Herbal medicines are mostly used from thousands of years in primary health care of society and community of both developed and developing countries. It mainly includes whole plant, herbs, extracts, isolated compounds, polyherbal preparations, phytoformulations etc. Identification of bioactive compounds from phytomedicines plays a very important role in drug development and drug design process. The characterization of phytomedicines is very much essential in the identification of compounds. For the purpose of identification two methods, Spectroscopy and Chromatography play important role. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) is the widely used technique which is mainly used to identify functional groups in herbal medicines. Various scientific research articles published on extraction, isolation, characterization and identification of phytoconstituents from medicinal plants and other forms of herbal medicines is being reviewed in this article. We have mainly focused on the FTIR characterization and identification of phytochemicals from herbal medicines and are briefly presented in this review work. Our present review article concludes that the FTIR spectroscopy plays very much essential role in the identification and characterization of bioactive compounds from herbal medicines