Under physiological conditions, interaction between ceftriaxone and human serum albumin was investigated by using fluorescence spectroscopy and ultra violet (UV) absorption spectrum. From spectral analysis, ceftriaxone showed a strong ability to quench the intrinsic fluorescence of human serum albumin (HSA) through a static quenching procedure. The binding constant (k) is estimated as K=1.02× 10 3 M-1 at 298 K. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) spectroscopy with Fourier self-deconvolution technique was used to determine the protein secondary structure and drug binding mechanisms. The observed spectral changes indicated the formation of H-bonding between ceftriaxone and HSA molecules at higher percentage for -helix than for the -sheets.

In this study we report on the measurements of the Verdet constant for olive and other vegetable oils. Study of samples stored for different periods at different storage conditions showed that each olive oil sample has a Verdet constant value depending on: production year, history of the sample (i.e. storage conditions) and geographical region. Photo and auto oxidations are found to have reverse effects on the value of the measured Verdet constant, on the one hand, photo-oxidation tends to decrease the Verdet constant, but on the other hand auto-oxidation tends to increase it. It is known that oils stored in room light had significantly lower tocopherol, carotenoid, and chlorophyll contents than did the same oils kept in the dark. For other vegetable oil samples, each vegetable oil was found to have a distinct Verdet constant value. Thus it is possible to differentiate vegetable oils making use of their respective Verdet constants. Preliminary results indicated the possibility to detect olive oil adulteration using the Faraday Effect, i.e. the effect could be suggested as a food authentication technique if calibration curves and standard Verdet constants values could be prepared for comparison with those of samples under investigation.

The capacitance and loss tangent of thermally evaporated zinc phthalocyanine, ZnPc , semiconducting thin films were measured in the temperature range of 180–430 K and frequency between 0.1 and 20 kHz. Aluminum and gold electrical contact electrodes were employed to sandwich ZnPc films. For both electrode types, the capacitance and loss tangent showed strong dependence on both temperature and frequency. Such dependence is related to the relevant temperature and frequency range under consideration. The capacitance has strong temperature dependence for T>240 K and frequency below 3 kHz, while it becomes a constant at higher frequencies and all temperatures. The loss tangent dependence on temperature is more evident at low frequencies and a minimum or an indication of a minimum was observed in tan δ versus f curves. Loss tangent variation with temperature was not monotonic for all frequencies. An anomaly (maximum) in tan δ was observed approximately between 300 and 360 K. This maximum was attributed to the presence of oxygen molecules in the sample and their subsequent exhaustion as the temperature is increased. The behavior of capacitance and loss tangent (for both Al and Au -electrodes) may be explained qualitatively and successfully in terms of an equivalent circuit model.

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The aim of this work was to establish the feasibility of the combined photoacoustic (PA) and photopyroelectric (PPE) detection of the vapours emitted from essential oils and their corresponding uncrushed leaves or flowers. Gas traces of jasmine (Jessamine (Jasminum)), mint (Mentha arvensis L.) and Damask rose (Rosa damascena Miller) and their essential oils were tested using a combined cell fitted with both a photopyroelectric film (PVDF) and a microphone in conjunction with a pulsed wideband infrared source (PWBS) source. Infrared PA and PPE absorbances were obtained simultaneously at room temperatures with excellent reproducibility and high signal-to-noise ratios. Significant similarities found between the PA and PPE spectra of the trace gas emissions of plant parts, i.e., flowers or leaves and their related essential oils show the good correlation of their emissions and that both effects are initiated by the same absorbing molecules.