Acute toxicity evaluation, antibacterial, antioxidant and immunomodulatory effects of Melastoma malabathricum

Melastoma malabathricum (MM) is a well-known plant in Malaysian traditional medicine, locally known as senduduk. Its ethanol and aqueous extracts have been used in the present investigation to study the immunomodulatory role on human peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC), and the DPPH, ABTS and FRAP free radical scavenging activities were also measured. Total flavonoids and total phenolic contents were assayed and the antibacterial effect was tested against four species of bacteria; two Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus agalactiae) and two Gram-negative (Escherichia coli and Klebsilla pneumonia). The tests were carried out using the disc diffusion, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) methods. Moreover, the acute toxicity was evaluated in vivo on the ethanol extract of MM to establish its safety when administered orally. In our results, both extracts of MM showed abilities to scavenge DPPH and ABTS free radicals, IC(50) values: (11.599 ± 0.84, 10.573 ± 0.58 μmol/L) and (62.657 ± 0.78, 63.939 ± 0.48 μmol/L) for ethanol and aqueous extracts respectively. Indeed the ethanol extract evidenced high phenolic content (384.33 ± 0.005 mg/g), flavonoids contents (85.8 ± 0.009 mg/g) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (33,590 ± 0.038 mmol/g), with high activity against S. aureus and S. agalactiae (11 ± 0.3 and 12 ± 0.6 mm inhibition zones). Likewise, the percentage of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) viability was increased in response to MM, IC(50) values (1.781 ± 1.2 and 6.545 ± 0.93 μg/mL) for ethanol and aqueous extracts, respectively. In addition, our results showed that the MM extract is safe even at a high dose of 5,000 mg/kg and has no oral toxicity. These findings suggest the excellent medicinal bioactivity of MM and explain the popularity of this plant in the folk medicine as a remedy for different illnesses.     

Voltammetric determination of isoproterenol using a 5-amino-2’,4’-dimethoxybiphenyl-2-ol modified carbon nanotube paste electrode

A new electrochemical sensor for determination of isoproterenol(IP) is described.The sensor is based on carbon paste electrode (CPE) modified with 5-amino-2’,4’-dimethoxybiphenyl-2-ol(5ADMB) and takes the advantages of carbon nanotubes(CNTs). Under the optimum pH of 7.0,the oxidation of IP occurs at a potential about 210 mV less positive than that of the unmodified CPE. The oxidation currents increased linearly with two concentration intervals of IP,one is 0.09 to 20.0 |xmol/L and,the other is 20.0 to 400.0μmol/L.The detection limit(3σ) obtained by square wave voltammetry(SWV) was 39.0 nmol/L.The practical application of the modified electrode was demonstrated by determining IP in IP ampoule,urine and human blood serum samples.     

Electromembrane extraction combined with cyclodextrin-modified capillary electrophoresis for the quantification of trimipramine enantiomers

A sensitive, simple and reproducible method was developed for preconcentration and determination of trimipramine (TPM) enantiomers in biological samples using electromembrane extraction combined with cyclodextrin‐modified capillary electrophoresis (CE). During the extraction, TPM enantiomers migrated from a 5 mL sample solution through a thin layer of 2‐nitrophenyl octyl ether NPOE immobilized in the pores of a hollow fiber, and into a 20 μL acidic aqueous acceptor phase presented inside the lumen of the fiber. A Box–Behnken design and the response surface methodology (RSM) were used for the optimization of different variables on extraction efficiency. Optimized extraction conditions were: NPOE as supported liquid membrane, inter‐electrode distance of 5 mm, stirring rate of 1000 rpm, 51 V potential difference, 34 min as the extraction time, acceptor phase pH 1.0 and donor phase pH 4.5. Then, the extract was analyzed using optimized cyclodextrin (CD)‐modified CE method for the separation of TPM enantiomers. Best results were achieved using 100 mM phosphate running buffer (pH 2.0) containing 10 mM α‐CD as the chiral selector, applied voltage of 18 kV and 20°C. The range of quantitation for both enantiomers was 20–500 ng/mL. The method was very reproducible so that intra‐ and interday RSDs (n=6) were <6%. The limits of quantitation and detection for both enantiomers were 20 and 7 ng/mL, respectively. Finally, this method was successfully applied to determine the concentration of TPM enantiomers in plasma and urine samples without any pre‐treatment.     

Study of parametric oscillation of an electrostatically actuated microbeam using variational iteration method

This paper deals with the study of parametric oscillation of an electrostatically actuated microbeam using variational iteration method. The paper considers a micro-beam suspended between two conductive micro-plates, subjected to a same actuation voltage. The nonlinear governing differential equation of motion about static equilibrium position using calculus of variation theory and Taylor series expansion has been linearized and implementing a Galerkin based reduced order model a Mathieu type equation has been obtained. By improving variational iteration method combining with method of strained parameters transition curves, separating stable from unstable regions have been obtained. The results of variational iteration method, perturbation and direct numerical integration methods for some cases selected from different regions (stable and unstable regions) have been compared.     

Structural changes in self-assembled monolayers initiated by ultraviolet light

Self-assembled monolayers of 2-anthracenethiol and 2-naphthalenethiol on gold (111) were irradiated with low-power UV light. Scanning tunneling microscope images recorded in situ show unusual structural changes. In the case of 2-anthracenethiol, structures measuring 4-7 nm wide and 30-40 nm in length are formed. Images taken 10 min after irradiation ceased to show further surface reorganization. With 2-naphthalenethiol SAMs, smaller structures form upon irradiation, which subsequently revert to resemble the original structure after time.     

Optimal control of the obstacle problem: optimality conditions

^** E-mail: k.aithadi{at}ucam.ac.ma In this paper, we investigate optimal control problem governedby variational inequality of the obstacle type. Existence ofsolution for the problem is proved and we also show how to obtainoptimality conditions for a penalized problem issued from theoriginal one.     

Bisleucocurine A, a novel bisindole alkaloid from Leuconotis griffithii

A novel bisindole alkaloid, bisleucocurine A (1), consisting of two strychnan skeletons with an N-1-C-17′ and a C-12-C-2′ bridges, was isolated from the leaves of Leuconotis griffithii and the structure was elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic data. Bisleucocurine A (1) showed cytotoxicity against various human cancer cell lines.     

New voltammetric strategy for simultaneous determination of norepinephrine, acetaminophen, and folic acid using a 5-amino-3′,4′-dimethoxy-biphenyl-2-ol/carbon nanotube paste electrode

A carbon paste electrode modified with 5-amino-3??,4??-dimethoxy-biphenyl-2-ol and carbon nanotubes was used for the sensitive voltammetric determination of norepinephrine (NE). The electrochemical response characteristics of the modified electrode toward NE, acetaminophen (AC), and folic acid (FA) were investigated by cyclic and square wave voltammetry (SWV). The results show an efficient catalytic activity of the electrode for the electrooxidation of NE, which leads to lowering its overpotential more than 160?mV. The modified electrode exhibits an efficient electron-mediating behavior together with well-separated oxidation peaks for NE, AC, and FA. Under the optimum pH of 7.0 in 0.1?M phosphate buffer solution, the SWV anodic peak current showed a linear relation vs. NE concentration in the range of 15.0 to 1,000.0???M with a detection limit of 8.0???M.     

Effect of Si substitution on electronic structure and magnetic properties of Heusler compounds Co2TiAl1−xSix

The electronic structures of Co-based Heusler compounds CoTiAl_1−xSi_x (x=0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75 and 1) are calculated by first-principles using the full potential linearized augmented plane wave (FP-LAPW) method within GGA and LSDA+U scheme. Particular emphasis was put on the role of the main group elements. In recent years, the GGA calculations of Co₂TiAl (x=0) and Co₂TiSi (x=1) indicated that they are half-metallic, but the electronic structure of this compound with x=0.25, 0.5 and 0.75 has not been reported yet, neither theoretically nor experimentally. The calculated results reveal that these are half-metallic and exhibit an energy gap in the minority spin state and also show 100% spin polarization. The substitution of Al by Si leads to an increase in the number of valence electrons, with increasing x. Our calculated results clearly show that with the Si doping, the lattice parameter linearly decreases; bulk modulus increases, and the total magnetic moment increases. The calculated energy gap in the minority spin state, using GGA scheme, was smaller than that obtained by using LSDA+U scheme. The outcomes of this research also show that the Co-3d DOS and therefore, the magnetic properties of compounds are dependent on electron concentration of the main group elements and it will affect the degree of p-d orbital occupation.