Manipulating the torsion of molecules by strong laser pulses

A proof-of-principle experiment is reported, where torsional motion of a molecule, consisting of a pair of phenyl rings, is induced by strong laser pulses. A nanosecond laser pulse spatially aligns the carbon-carbon bond axis, connecting the two phenyl rings, allowing a perpendicularly polarized, intense femtosecond pulse to initiate torsional motion accompanied by an overall rotation about the fixed axis. The induced motion is monitored by femtosecond time-resolved Coulomb explosion imaging. Our theoretical analysis accounts for and generalizes the experimental findings.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, submitted to PRL; Major revision of the presentation of the material; Correction of ion labels in Fig. 2(a

IN VITRO ANTICHOLINERGIC AND ANTIHISTAMINIC ACTIVITIES OF ACORUS CALAMUS LINN. LEAVES EXTRACTS

The present investigation was aimed at determining the effects of hexane, acetone, methanol and aqueous extracts of Acorus calamus leaves (ACHE, ACAE, ACME and ACAQE) on cholinergic and histaminic system using isolated frog rectus abdominis muscle and guinea pig ileum. A dose dependent potentiation of Ach response (anticholinesterase like effect) was found with ACAE and ACME at 0.25, 0.5, 0.75 and 1 mg/ml, but at higher dose of ACAE, ACME, ACAQE and ACHE (5, 20 mg/ml) inhibit the Ach response (antinicotinic effect). These results revealed biphasic effect of Acorus calamus leaves extracts on acetylcholine induced contractile response in isolated frog rectus abdominis muscle preparation (i.e. potentiation effect at lower dose and inhibitory effect at higher dose). Studies on isolated guinea pig ileum demonstrated antihistaminic effect in a dose dependent manner (100-1000 µg/ml) with ACAE, ACME and ACAQE. In addition, the dose dependent inhibition of Ach response (antimuscarinic effect) was observed with ACAE and ACME. In conclusion, Acorus calamus leaves extracts exerts antinicotinic, anticholinesterase like activities in isolated frog rectus abdominis muscle and antihistaminic, antimuscarinic effect in guinea pig ileum. It has been suggested that these observed activities can be further studied for therapeutic potential of Acorus calamus leaves in the treatment of cognitive disorders and asthma

Identification of absolute geometries of cis and trans molecular isomers by Coulomb Explosion Imaging

Citation: Ablikim, U., Bomme, C., Xiong, H., Savelyev, E., Obaid, R., Kaderiya, B., . . . Rolles, D. (2016). Identification of absolute geometries of cis and trans molecular isomers by Coulomb Explosion Imaging. Scientific Reports, 6, 8. doi:10.1038/srep38202An experimental route to identify and separate geometric isomers by means of coincident Coulomb explosion imaging is presented, allowing isomer-resolved photoionization studies on isomerically mixed samples. We demonstrate the technique on cis/trans 1,2-dibromoethene (C2H2Br2). The momentum correlation between the bromine ions in a three-body fragmentation process induced by bromine 3d inner-shell photoionization is used to identify the cis and trans structures of the isomers. The experimentally determined momentum correlations and the isomer-resolved fragment-ion kinetic energies are matched closely by a classical Coulomb explosion model

Wild species of vaccinium composition, nutritional value and utilization

There are still, in many parts of the globe, some edible fruit collects from the wild for human feeding and other uses. These fruits are utilised either in their raw nature or after some form of processing. One of these wild fruits are Vaccinium species such as Vaccinium myrtoides (Blume) Miq., Vaccinium cylindraceum, Vaccinium padifolium, Vaccinium corymbosum, Vaccinium myrtillus and others from the plant family Ericaceae. The term wild infers non-cultivated plants found in plantation felids or the forest. The species Vaccinium myrtoides and the others are small trees (shrubs) that are well known in Southeast Asian countries such as Philippines, Indonesia and other neighbouring islands. The plants classified as wild growing shrubs. However, the locals have made it be fully utilized in some areas as the wood that are used in grafting utensils and cutleries, or as fuel and fruits. The small-sized berry-like fruits with an average diameter of about 4–5 mm turn black when ripe. They have a delicious flavour that makes it edible and used in the making of other delicacies such as tart and pies to add flavour and as preservatives as well. A few published researches were done on Vaccinium myrtoides showing that it is still used in folkloric medicine. Leaves and fruits extracts showed strong antioxidant activity when tested in-vitro using DPPH (2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) free radical scavenging activity as part of a preliminary phytochemical screening for V. myrtoides. The study revealed that the antioxidant activity is due to the presence of flavonoids and other phenolic compounds in the plant leaves and fruit extracts