A profound density functional theory study to unravel the spectroscopic and molecular properties of two Flavanols differing in α-pyrone ring position

A comprehensive theoretical model was designed for two new flavanols that have been reported from Glycosmis pentaphylla, differing in the placement of α-pyrone ring. The density functional theory (DFT) approach was utilized for computing different properties of these compounds to validate the experimental findings and stereochemical assignments. Electronic properties, geometric parameters, frontier molecular orbitals (FMOs), molecular electrostatic potential (MESP), and natural bond orbital analysis were performed for the first time at the PBE0-D3BJ/def2-TZVP level of theory for the compounds under study. The simulated vibrational frequencies for compounds 1 and 2 were computed and compared with the experimental results. nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) (¹H and ¹³C) chemical shift values were computed at the PBE0-D3BJ/def2-TZVP/SMD_DMSO level of theory and showed a very good agreement with the experimental results for both the compounds. The electronic circular dichroism (ECD) and ultraviolet–visible (UV) spectra for both the compounds were obtained using time-dependent DFT in methanol, whose results exhibited excellent correlation with experimental data. The intermolecular interaction effect on geometric parameters, vibrational frequencies, and electronic properties were studied for the first time.     

Towards the Pharmacological Validation and Phytochemical Profiling of the Decoction and Maceration of Bruguiera gymnorhiza (L.) Lam.—A Traditionally Used Medicinal Halophyte

Decoctions (leaves and roots) of Bruguiera gymnorhiza (L.) Lam. are traditionally used against diabetes in many countries, including Mauritius. This study endeavoured to evaluate the inhibitory potential of leaves, roots, twigs and fruits extracts (decoction and maceration) of B. gymnorhiza against key enzymes relevant to diabetes. Considering complications related to diabetes, other clinical enzymes, namely, acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), tyrosinase, elastase and pancreatic lipase, were used. Identification of compounds was carried out using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-ESI-MS/MS). Antioxidant capacities were assessed using DPPH, ABTS, FRAP, CUPRAC, phosphomolybdenum, metal chelating. The relationship between mode of extraction, plant parts and biological activities was determined using multivariate analysis. Macerated fruits, rich in phytochemicals (phenolic, flavanol, tannin, and triterpenoid), exhibited substantially high antioxidant capacities related to radical scavenging (DPPH: 547.75 ± 10.99 and ABTS: 439.59 ± 19.13 mg TE/g, respectively) and reducing potential (CUPRAC: 956.04 ± 11.90 and FRAP: 577.26 ± 4.55 mg TE/g, respectively). Additionally, the same extract significantly depressed AChE and BChE (3.75 ± 0.03 and 2.19 ± 0.13 mg GALAE/g, respectively), tyrosinase (147.01 ± 0.78 mg KAE/g), elastase (3.14 ± 0.08 mg OE/g) and amylase (1.22 ± 0.01 mmol ACAE/g) enzymatic activities. Phytochemical results confirmed the presence of 119 compounds in all maceration and 163 compounds in all decoction samples. The screening also revealed important compounds in the extracts, namely, quinic acid, brugierol, bruguierol A, epigallocatechin, chlorogenic acid, to name a few. Multivariate analysis reported that the plant parts of B. gymnorhiza greatly influenced the observed biological activities in contrast to the types of extraction methods employed. Docking calculations have supported the findings of the experimental part through the high binding affinity and strong interactions of some compounds against tyrosinase, AChE, BChE and elastase enzymes. The decocted root and leaf of B. gymnorhiza showed low to moderate antidiabetic activity, thereby partially supporting its traditional uses in the management of diabetes. However, the fruit, the most active organ, can be used as a diet supplement to reduce the risk of diabetes complications after evaluating its cytotoxic effects.     

Consistent and asymptotically normal estimators for cyclically time-dependent linear models

We consider a general class of time series linear models where parameters switch according to a known fixed calendar. These parameters are estimated by means of quasi-generalized least squares estimators. conditions for strong consistency and asymptotic normality are given. Applications to cyclical ARMA models with non constant periods are considered.     

The role of ligands on protein retention in adsorption chromatography: A surface energetics approach

Protein adsorption onto hydrophobic chromatographic supports has been investigated using a colloid theory surface energetics approach. The surface properties of commercially available chromatographic beads, Toyopearl Phenyl 650‐C, and Toyopearl Butyl 650‐C, have been experimentally determined by contact angle and zeta potential measurements. The adsorption characteristics of these beads, which bear the same backbone matrix but harbor different ligands, have been studied toward selected model proteins, in the hydrated as well as dehydrated state. There were two prominent groups of proteins observed with respect to the chromatographic supports presented in this work: loosely retained proteins, which were expected to have lower average interaction energies, and the strongly retained proteins, which were expected to have higher average interaction energies. Results were also compared and contrasted with calculations derived from adsorbent surface energies determined by inverse liquid chromatography. These results showed a good qualitative agreement, and the interaction energy minima obtained from these extended Derjaguin, Landau, Verwey and Overbeek calculations were shown to correlate well with the experimentally determined adsorption behavior of each protein.     

On stationarity and second-order properties of bilinear random fields

One-dimensional indexed bilinear (BL) models are widely used for modeling non Gaussian time series. Extending BL models to multidimensional indexed (spatial) SBL one, yields a novel class of models which are capable of taking into account the important characteristic of non Gaussianity and spatiality behavior. Our main contribution here is to extend various results on BL processes to SBL one. Our attention is thus focussed on the probabilistic structure of some SBLmodels. So, we establish necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of regular stationary and ergodic solutions in term of their transfer functions. As a consequence, we observe that the second order structure is similar to a spatial ARMA model with some uncorrelated white noise. So, it is necessary to look into higher-order moments in order to distinguish between linear and nonlinear random fields. Our study may be applied to GARCH or ARMA random fields.     

Stationnarité et β-mélange des processus bilinéaires généraux à changement de régime markovien

We study the class of general bilinear models in which the parameters are allowed to depend on an unobserved Markov chain. Necessary and sufficient conditions for strict and second-order stationarity, existence of higher-order moments and conditions ensuring the geometric ergodicity are proposed.     

Isolation,Characterization and Anticancer Activity of Two Bioactive Compounds from Arisaema flavum (Forssk.) Schott

Medicinal plants play important role in the public health sector worldwide. Natural products from medicinal plants are sources of unlimited opportunities for new drug leads because of their unique chemical diversity. Researchers have focused on exploring herbal products as potential sources for the treatment of cancer, cardiac and infectious diseases. Arisaema flavum (Forssk.) is an important medicinal plant found in the northwest Himalayan regions of Pakistan. It is a poisonous plant and is used as a remedy against snake bites and scorpion stings. In this study, two bioactive compounds were isolated from Arisaema flavum (Forssk.) and their anticancer activity was evaluated against human breast cancer cell line MCF-7 using an MTT assay. The crude extract of Arisaema flavum (Forssk.) was subjected to fractionation using different organic solvents in increasing order of polarity. The fraction indicating maximum activity was then taken for isolation of bioactive compounds using various chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques such as column chromatography, thin-layer chromatography (TLC), gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR). Crude extract of Arisaema flavum (Forssk.), as well as various fractions extracted in different solvents such as n-hexane, chloroform and ethyl acetate, were tested against human breast cancer cell line MCF-7 using an MTT assay. The crude extract exhibited significant dose-dependent anticancer activity with a maximum activity of 78.6% at 500 µg/mL concentration. Two compounds, hexadecanoic acid ethyl ester with molecular formula C₁₈H₃₆O₇ and molar mass 284 and 5-Oxo-19 propyl-docosanoic acid methyl ester with molecular formula C₂₆H₅₀O₃ and molecular mass 410, were isolated from chloroform fraction. These compounds were tested against the MCF-7cell line for cytotoxic activity and exhibited a significant (p < 0.00l) decrease in cell numbers for MCF-7 cells with IC₅₀ of 25 µM after 48 h of treatment. Results indicated that Arisaema flavum (Forssk.) possesses compounds with cytotoxic activity that can further be exploited to develop anticancer formulations.     

An Improvement of Ostrowski’s and King’s Techniques with Optimal Convergence Order Eight

In this paper, we first establish a new class of three-point methods based on the two-point optimal method of Ostrowski. Analysis of convergence shows that any method of our class arrives at eighth order of convergence by using three evaluations of the function and one evaluation of the first derivative per iteration. Thus, this order agrees with the conjecture of Kung and Traub (J. ACM 643–651, 1974) for constructing multipoint optimal iterations without memory. We second present another optimal eighth-order class based on the King’s fourth-order family and the first attained class. To support the underlying theory developed in this work, we examine some methods of the proposed classes by comparison with some of the existing optimal eighth-order methods in literature. Numerical experience suggests that the new classes would be valuable alternatives for solving nonlinear equations.     

Recent advances in sodium alginate-based membranes for dehydration of aqueous ethanol through pervaporation

Sodium alginate (SA) is a progressive material for membrane fabrication. The technological development of SA-based membranes has made a significant contribution to the separation techniques, especially in aqueous organic solutions. The outstanding performance of SA is attributed to its outstanding structural flexibility and hydrophilicity. In view of structural characteristics, SA membranes have immense utilization in the pervaporation separation of organics. Among various organics, dehydration of aqueous ethanol is employed as a standard to check the success of pervaporation (PV) membrane. Because ethanol and water have comparable molecular sizes, thus difficult to extract water from aqueous ethanol mixtures than it is for other organics. A literature survey shows that wide-ranging data are available on the PV performance of SA and its modified membranes. In this context, the present review addresses the recent advances made in SA membranes for enhanced ethanol dehydration performance during the last decade. Available data since 2010 has been compiled for grafted, crosslinked, blend, mixed matrix, and composite hybrid sodium alginate membranes in terms of separation factor, permeation flux, and pervaporation separation index PSI. The data are assessed with reference to the effect of feed composition, membrane selectivity, flux, and swelling behavior.