Evaluation of the Antimicrobial Effect of Thymoquinone against Different Dental Pathogens: An In Vitro Study

This study aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial effect of Thymoquinone (TQ) on four different oral microorganisms. Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC), Minimum Inhibition Concentration (MIC), Broth microdilution, and Well diffusion tests were used to determine the optimum antimicrobial concentrations of TQ against Streptococcus salivarius, Streptococcus oralis, Streptococcus mutans, and Staphylococcus aureus over 1, 3, 6, 12 and 24 h. Chlorhexidine 0.12% was selected as a positive control. The inhibitory effect of TQ on bacterial growth was most noticeable with S. salivarius, while the least affected was S. aureus. TQ’s MBC and MIC for S. oralis and S. aureus were comparable 2 mg/mL and 3 mg/mL, respectively. S. salivarius was most resistant to TQ and displayed a value of 5 mg/mL and 4 mg/mL for MIC and MBC, respectively. The viable count of different strains after exposure to TQ’s MBC values was most noticeable with S. aureus followed by S. oralis and S. mutans, while S. salivarius was least affected. This study emphasized the promising antimicrobial effect of TQ against the four main oral microorganisms. It has a potential preventive effect against dental caries as well as other oral diseases.     

Ultraviolet Radiation in the Rhône River Lenses of Low Salinity and in Marine Waters of the Northwestern Mediterranean Sea: Attenuation and Effects on Bacterial Activities and Net Community Production

The high content in nutrients of freshwater outflows induces highly productive and buoyant plumes spreading over marine waters (MW). As a consequence, the growth of organisms developing in these low‐salinity waters (LSW) might be potentially affected by UV‐R (280–400 nm). This study investigated the penetration of UV‐R and its impact on net community production (NCP) and bacterial protein (B_PROTS) and DNA (B_DNAS) synthesis in mesotrophic‐LSW formed from the Rhône River and in oligotrophic MW of the Northwestern Mediterranean Sea (Gulf of Lions) in May 2006. High concentrations of chlorophyll a (up to 8 μg L^?1) measured in the LSW (<37.8 psu, 0–10 m) were the main factor influencing the diffuse attenuation coefficients (K_d) of both UV‐R and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR). The mean ratio of the K_d measured between the LSW and the MW increased with wavelength from 2.4 at 305 nm to 2.9 at 380 nm and 3.1 for PAR indicating more similarity in the UV region. NCP was severely inhibited by UV‐R at the surface of the LSW, whereas no effect was measured in the surrounding MW. In contrast, B_PROTS and B_DNAS were affected deeper by UV‐R in the MW (up to 8 m depth) compared to the LSW where inhibition was only observed at the surface. Differences in response of bacteria in LSW and MW are largely explained by differences in UV‐R transparency; however, transplant experiments indicate that bacterial assemblages from the MW were also more sensitive to UV‐R than those present in the LSW. We also observed that higher activity of bacteria after nutrient additions increased their sensitivity to UV‐R during the day, but favored their recovery during the night incubation period for both LSW and MW. Results suggest that riverine and nutrient inputs may alter the effects of UV‐R on microbial activity by attenuating the UV‐R penetration and by modifying the physiology of bacteria.     

Poly(3-methylthiophene)/palladium sub-micro-modified sensor electrode. Part II: Voltammetric and EIS studies, and analysis of catecholamine neurotransmitters, ascorbic acid and acetaminophen

Promising voltammetric sensors based on the modification of Pt and poly(3-methylthiophene) (PMT) electrodes with Pd nanoparticles were achieved for the determination of catecholamine neurotransmitters, ascorbic acid and acetaminophen. Electrochemistry of the indicated compounds was studied at these electrodes and interesting electrocatalytic effects were found. Furthermore, simple, easily prepared one electrochemical step Pd-modified Pt electrode (Pt/Pd) is reported for the first time. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) and chronocoulometry (CC) were used for the determination of the apparent diffusion coefficients in different electrolytes at these electrodes and the values are in the range from 10⁻⁴ to 10⁻⁵ cm² s⁻¹. Furthermore, it was found that the method of polymer formation had a substantial effect on the synergism between the polymer film and the loaded metal particles towards the oxidation of dopamine (DA) in different supporting electrolytes. This was confirmed by the CV, CC and EIS (electrochemical impedance spectroscopy) as well as SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy) results. Pt and PMT electrodes modified with Pd nanoparticles showed excellent results for the simultaneous determination of tertiary and quaternary mixtures of the studied compounds.     

Synthesis,Antiviral, and Antimicrobial Activity of N‐ and S‐Alkylated Phthalazine Derivatives

A series of N‐alkylphthalazinone were synthesized by the reaction of phthalazin‐1(2H)‐one derivatives 1a , 1b , 1c with alkylating agents namely, propargyl, allyl bromide, epichlorohydrin, 1,3‐dichloro‐2‐propanol, 4‐bromobutylacetate, and 1‐(bromomethoxy)ethyl acetate to give the corresponding N‐alkylphthalazinone 2a , 2b , 2c , 3a , 3b , 3c , 5a , 5b , 5c , 6a , 6b , 6c , 7a , 7b , 7c , and 9a , 9b , 9c . Alkylation of phthalazin‐1(2H)‐thione to give a series from S‐alkylphthalazine 12 , 13 , 14 and thioglycosides 15 and 17 was performed. Deprotection of compounds 7a , 7b , 7c , 9a , 9b , 9c , 15 , and 17 resulted in the formation of the corresponding products 8a , 8b , 8c , 10a , 10b , 10c , 16 , and 18 . The structure of newly synthesized compounds was assigned by IR, ¹H, ¹³C NMR, and elemental analysis. Some of these compounds were screened for antiviral and antimicrobial activity.     

Overcoming the boundary effects in surface spline interpolation

Surface spline interpolation when the domain is all of R^d isknown to converge much faster to the data function f than inthe case when the domain is the unit ball. This difference isunderstood to be due to boundary effects which, as will be shown,also affect the size of the surface spline's coefficients. Wepropose a modified form of surface spline interpolation which,to a great extent, overcomes these boundary effects. This modifiedsurface spline interpolant uses only the values of f at thegiven interpolation points.     

Effect of molecular structure on the phase behaviour of some liquid crystalline compounds and their mixtures XIII. 4-(4-Substituted phenylazo)phenyl 4-alkoxybenzoates

Five homologous series of 4-(4-substituted phenylazo)phenyl 4-alkoxybenzoates (Ia-e) were prepared in which the substituent (X) was taken from CH₃O, CH₃, Cl, NO₂, and CN, while, within each homologous series, the length of the terminal alkoxy group varied between 6 and 16 carbon atoms. Compounds prepared were characterized by infrared spectroscopy, and their mesophase behaviour investigated by differential scanning calorimetry and polarizing optical microscopy. The results are discussed in terms of mesomeric and polarizability effects. In each group of compounds bearing the same alkoxy group, the mesophase - isotropic transition temperatures (T_c) were successfully correlated with the polarizability anisotropy of bonds to the substituent X.     

Hirshfeld Surface Analysis,Crystal Structure and Spectroscopic Studies of a New Cu(II) Halocuprate Salt with Protonated N-Amino-Ethyl-Piperazine

(C₆H₁₈N₃)₄[CuCl₅]₂[CuCl₄]₃·1.42H₂O is prepared and characterized by various physicochemical techniques. The single crystal X-ray diffraction structural analysis reveals that the title compound belongs to the orthorhombic system with the space group Cmca. Its unit cell dimensions are: a = 24.286(2) Å, b = 14.3082(14) Å, c = 16.6160(16) Å, Z = 4, V = 5773.8(10) ų. Its crystal structure is determined and refined down to R = 0.024 and wR(F²) = 0.059. The structure contains three crystallographically independent Cu²⁺ ions coordinated to chlorine anions in various fashions. Cu1 is five-coordinated in a distorted square pyramidal fashion, while Cu2 and Cu3 are four-coordinated in square planar and distorted tetrahedral fashions, respectively. The entities are interconnected by means of the hydrogen bonding [O(W)–H…Cl, N–H…Cl, C–H…Cl and C–H…O(W)], forming a three-dimensional network. Intermolecular interactions are investigated by Hirshfeld surfaces and the contacts of the eight different chloride atoms are notably compared. The vibrational absorption bands are identified by infrared spectroscopy. The optical study is performed by UV-vis absorption.     

Equilibrium geometry and electronic structure of benzylidene,arylethylidene, and heterocyclic arylidene malononitriles

The equilibrium geometry of some benzylidene, arylethylidene, and heterocyclic arylidene malononitriles has been calculated within the framework of the MNDO –MO formalism. Various structural factors are analyzed and discussed in terms of localized and delocalized MOS and π-interaction between methylene malononitrile (MMN) and aryl moieties. The possibility of charge transfer (CT ) from aryl to MMN moieties has been examined. The presence of a heterocyclic ring introduces a small perturbation into the MMN nuclear frame. p-Substituents have a pronounced effect on the magnitude and direction of the dipole moment. The variation of ionization potentials and bond order with the Hammet σ p are examined and a straight-line relationship is obtained. The correlation between physiological activity and quantum mechanical properties is analyzed in terms of heat of formation, ionization potential, dipole moment, and charge density on the aryl ring. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.