Numerical analysis of the effects of roughness on the electro-osmotic laminar flow between two parallel plates

Meccanica - In the present study, the effects of wall roughness on the dynamic of laminar electro-osmotic flow (EOF) between two parallel plates have been investigated numerically. The governing...     

Rich vehicle routing problems: From a taxonomy to a definition

Over the last years, several variants of multi-constrained Vehicle Routing Problems (VRPs) have been studied, forming a class of problems known as Rich Vehicle Routing Problems (RVRPs). The purpose of the paper is twofold: (i) to provide a comprehensive and relevant taxonomy for the RVRP literature and (ii) to propose an elaborate definition of RVRPs. To this end, selected papers addressing various cases are classified using the proposed taxonomy. Once the articles have been classified, a cluster analysis based on two discriminating criteria is performed and leads to the definition of RVRPs.     

Two- and three-dimensional comparative study of heat transfer and pressure drop characteristics of nanofluids flow through a ventilated cubic cavity (part I: Newtonian nanofluids)

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry - Through this paper, three-dimensional fluid flow and heat transfer of Al2O3 nanofluid within ventilated enclosures was taken into consideration....     

Effect of carbon nanotubes on the thermal conductivity enhancement of synthesized hydroxyapatite filled with water for dental applications: experimental characterization and numerical study

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry - The hydroxyapatite is one of the biocompatible and insulating bioceramics, while the carbon nanotube has a high thermal conductivity potential. This...     

Assessment of antioxidant,cytotoxicity, antibacterial,antifungal, and cutaneous wound healing activities of green synthesized manganese nanoparticles using Ziziphora clinopodioides Lam leaves under in vitro and in vivo condition

In recent decades, nanotechnology is growing rapidly owing to its widespread application in medical science. The aim of the experiment was the evaluation of cytotoxicity, antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, and cutaneous wound healing activities of green synthesized manganese nanoparticles using Ziziphora clinopodioides Lam leaves (MnNPs@ZC). The synthesized MnNPs@ZC were characterized using different techniques including UV–Vis., FT-IR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS). According to the XRD analysis, 48.10 nm was measured for the crystal size of nanoparticles. SEM images exhibited a uniform spherical morphology and size in the range of 47.58 to 70.26 nm for the biosynthesized nanoparticles. MnNPs@ZC revealed excellent non-cytotoxicity effect against human umbilical vein endothelial cells, antioxidant activity against DPPH, antibacterial properties against Gram-negative bacteria (Salmonella typhimurium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Escherichia coli O157:H7) and Gram-positive bacteria (Streptococcus pneumonia, Staphylococcus aureus, and Bacillus subtilis), and antifungal potentials against Candida glabrata, Candida albicans, Candida guilliermondii, and Candida krusei. Also, use of MnNPs@ZC ointment decreased significantly (p ≤ 0.01) the wound area, total cells, neutrophil, and lymphocyte and raised significantly (p ≤ 0.01) the wound contracture, hydroxyl proline, hexosamine, hexuronic acid, fibrocyte, and fibrocytes/fibroblast rate compared to other groups in experimental animals. In conclusion, synthesized MnNPs@ZC indicated antibacterial, antifungal, non-cytotoxicity, antioxidant, and cutaneous wound healing effects in a dose-depended manner. After confirming in the clinical trials, these nanoparticles can be used in human for the treatment of cutaneous and infectious diseases.     

Novel green synthesis of Boswellia serrata leaf aqueous extract conjugated gold nanoparticles with excellent anti-acute myeloid leukemia property in comparison to mitoxantrone in a leukemic mice model: Introducing a new chemotherapeutic drug

The present research confirms the capacity of aqueous extract of Boswellia serrata grown under in vitro condition for the green synthesis of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). Also, we showed the cytotoxicity, antioxidant, and anti-acute myeloid leukemia properties of AuNPs compared to mitoxantrone in a leukemic mouse model. The synthesized AuNPs were characterized using several techniques including XRD, TEM, FE-SEM, UV–Vis, and FT-IR. From the XRD pattern, four distinct diffraction peaks at 38.2°, 44.2°, 64.7° and 77.4° are indexed as (111), (200), (220) and (311) planes of FCC metallic gold. TEM and FE-SEM images revealed an average diameters of 15–30 nm for the nanoparticles. FT-IR findings offered antioxidant compounds in the nanoparticles were the sources of reducing power, reducing gold ions to AuNPs. UV–Vis revealed an absorption band at 536 nm that is related to the surface plasmon resonance of AuNPs. In vivo design, induction of acute myeloid leukemia was done by DMBA in 75 mice. Then, the mice were randomly divided into six subgroups, including untreated, control, HAuCl₄, B. serrata, AuNPs, and mitoxantrone. AuNPs (In the dose of 1 mg/kg body weight) similar to mitoxantrone, significantly (p ≤ 0.05) increased the platelet, lymphocyte, and RBC parameters and the anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL4, IL5, IL10, IL13, and IFNα) and reduced the weights and volumes of liver and spleen and their sub-compartment, the total WBC, blast, monocyte, neutrophil, eosinophil, and basophil counts, and the pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL1, IL6, IL12, IL18, IFNY, and TNFα) as compared to the untreated mice. By quantitative Real-Time PCR, S1PR1 and S1PR5 mRNA expression in lymphocytes were significantly (p ≤ 0.05) increased by treating the leukemic mice with the AuNPs and mitoxantrone. In vitro design, AuNPs similar to mitoxantrone had low cell viability dose-dependently against Human HL-60/vcr, 32D-FLT3-ITD, and Murine C1498 cell lines without any cytotoxicity on HUVEC cell line. Besides, the DPPH assay showed similar antioxidant potentials for AuNPs and mitoxantrone. In conclusion, the results of this research indicated the excellent capacity of synthesized gold nanoparticles using B. serrata leaf aqueous extract in the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia in leukemic mice.     

On the phase field modeling of crack growth and analytical treatment on the parameters

Continuum Mechanics and Thermodynamics - A thermodynamically consistent phase field model for crack propagation is analyzed. The thermodynamic driving force for the crack propagation is derived...     

Preparation,characterization, and assessment of cytotoxicity,antioxidant, antibacterial,antifungal, and cutaneous wound healing properties of titanium nanoparticles using aqueous extract of Ziziphora clinopodioides Lam leaves

In recent decades, nanotechnology is growing rapidly owing to its widespread application in science and industry. The aim of the experiment was chemical characterization and evaluation of cytotoxicity, antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, and cutaneous wound healing activities of titanium nanoparticles using aqueous extract of Ziziphora clinopodioides Lam leaves (TiNPs@Ziziphora). These nanoparticles were characterized by fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE‐SEM), energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (EDS), and UV–visible spectroscopy. The synthesized TiNPs@Ziziphora had great cell viability dose‐dependently (Investigating the effect of the plant on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) cell line) and revealed this method was nontoxic. Then, 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging test was done to assess the antioxidant properties, which indicated similar antioxidant potentials for TiNPs@Ziziphora and butylated hydroxytoluene. Agar diffusion tests were applied to determine the antibacterial and antifungal characteristics. Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC), Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC), and Minimum Fungicidal Concentration (MFC) were specified by macro‐broth dilution assay. The data were analyzed by SPSS 21 software (Duncan post‐hoc test). TiNPs@Ziziphora indicated higher antibacterial and antifungal effects than all standard antibiotics (p ≤ 0.01). Also, TiNPs@Ziziphora inhibited the growth of all bacteria at 2‐16 mg/ml concentrations and removed them at 2‐32 mg/ml concentrations (p ≤ 0.01). In case of antifungal properties of TiNPs@Ziziphora, they prevented the growth of all fungi at 2‐8 mg/ml concentrations and destroyed them at 2‐16 mg/ml concentrations (p ≤ 0.01). In vivo experiment, after creating the cutaneous wound, the rats were randomly divided into six groups: untreated control, treatment with Eucerin basal ointment, treatment with 3% tetracycline ointment, treatment with 0.2% TiO₂ ointment, treatment with 0.2% Z. clinopodioides ointment, and treatment with 0.2% TiNPs@Ziziphora ointment. These groups were treated for 10 days. For histopathological and biochemical analysis of the healing trend, a 3 × 3 cm section was prepared from all dermal thicknesses at day 10. Use of TiNPs@Ziziphora ointment in the treatment groups substantially reduced (p ≤ 0.01) the wound area, total cells, neutrophil, and lymphocyte and remarkably raised (p ≤ 0.01) the wound contracture, hydroxyl proline, hexosamine, hexuronic acid, fibrocyte, and fibrocytes/fibroblast rate compared to other groups. In conclusion, the results revealed the useful non‐cytotoxic, antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, and cutaneous wound healing effects of TiNPs@Ziziphora.