On a multivariable extension of the Humbert polynomials

In this paper, we present a multivariable extension of the Humbert polynomials, which is motivated by the Chan-Chyan-Srivastava multivariable polynomials, the multivariable extension of the familiar Lagrange-Hermite polynomials and Erkus-Srivastava multivariable polynomials. We derive various families of multilinear and mixed multilateral generating functions for these polynomials. Other miscellaneous properties of these multivariable polynomials are also discussed. Some special cases of the results presented in this study are also indicated.     

Implicit difference approximation for the time fractional heat equation with the nonlocal condition

In this work, a method for solving inhomogeneous nonlocal fractional heat equations is proposed. The method is based on the modified Gauss elimination method. It is proved by using matrix stability approach that the method is unconditionally stable. Numerical results are provided to illustrate the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed method.     

Structural and optical properties of Co-doped NiO films prepared by SILAR method

In this study, transparent thin films of un-doped and Co-doped nickel oxide were deposited onto microscopic glass substrates using the successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method. The effect of cobalt doping on structural, morphological and optical properties was investigated. XRD studies reveal that all the films are polycrystalline with cubic structure and exhibit (1 1 1) and (2 2 2) preferential orientations. Co is well incorporated in the host lattice without altering the structure. All films retain high transparency throughout the visible spectral regime. No significant shift in Raman spectra was observed due to the Co doping.     

Purification of Acetylcholinesterase by 9-Amino-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroacridine from Human Erythrocytes

The acetylcholinesterase enzyme was purified from human erythrocyte membranes using a simple and effective method in a single step. Tacrine (9-amino-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroacridine) is a well-known drug for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, which inhibits cholinesterase. We have developed a tacrine ligand affinity resin that is easy to synthesize, inexpensive and selective for acetylcholinesterase. The affinity resin was synthesized by coupling tacrine as the ligand and l-tyrosine as the spacer arm to CNBr-activated Sepharose 4B. Acetylcholinesterase was purified with a yield of 23.5 %, a specific activity of 9.22 EU/mg proteins and 658-fold purification using the affinity resin in a single step. During purification, the enzyme activity was measured using acetylthiocholine iodide as a substrate and 5,5′-dithiobis-(2-nitrobenzoicacid) as the chromogenic agent. The molecular weight of the enzyme was determined as about 70 kDa monomer upon disulphide reduction by sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. K _m, V _max, optimum pH and optimum temperature for acetylcholinesterase were found by means of graphics for acetylthiocholine iodide as the substrate. The optimum pH and optimum temperature of the acetylcholinesterase were determined to be 7.4 and 25–35 °C. The Michaelis–Menten constant (K _m) for the hydrolysis of acetylthiocholine iodide was found to be 0.25 mM, and the V _max was 0.090 μmol/mL/min. Maximum binding was achieved at 2 °C with pH 7.4 and an ionic strength of approximately 0.1 M. The capacity for the optimum condition was 0.07 mg protein/g gel for acetylcholinesterase.     

Statistical Evaluation of Bioavailability of Metals to Grapes Growing in Contaminated Vineyard Soils using Single Extractants

This article describes the statistical evaluation of concentrations of Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn. Ni, Pb. Zn, Ca. and Mg metals determined in twenty-two grape and corresponding soil samples from around a zinc smelter in Kayseri. Turkey. In the analyses of soil samples. three different extraetants. 0.1 M HCl in 0.025 M H₂SO₄, 1 M NH₄OAc, and aqua regia (1HNO₃ + 3HCl), were used to extract and determine the leachable metal contents which are acid soluble, exchangeable, and total. respectively. A mixture of HNO₃ and HCIO₄ was used to dissolve grape samples. The determinations of metals were performed by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). The analytical data were evaluated by using principal component analysis (PCA). hierarchial cluster analysis (HCA), correlation analysis (CA), and enrichment factors (EF). The relationship between the grapemetal and soil-extractable-metal concentrations was examined to evaluate the bioavailability of metals in soil to grape samples. As a consequence of statistical evaluations. Cd, Pb, Zn. Mn. and Fe labile levels in soil were related to total grape-metal contents indicating the method’s suitability for bioavailability studies in polluted soil–plant systems.     

Towards single-microorganism detection using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy

The identification and discrimination of microorganisms is important not only for clinical reasons but also for pharmaceutical clean room production and food-processing technology. Vibrational spectroscopy such as IR, Raman, and surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) can provide a rapid ‘fingerprint’ on the chemical structure of molecules and is used to obtain a ‘fingerprint’ from microorganisms as well. Because of the requirement that a single bacterium cell and noble metal nanoparticles must be in close contact and the lack of a significant physical support to hold nanoparticles around the single bacterium cell, the acquisition of SERS spectra for a single bacterium using colloidal nanoparticles could be a challenging task. The feasibility of SERS for identification down to a single bacterium is investigated. A Gram-negative bacterium, Escherichia coli, is chosen as a model for the investigation. Because the adsorption of silver nanoparticles onto the bacterial cell is an exclusive way for locating nanoparticles close to the bacterium cell, the absorption characteristics of silver nanoparticles with different surface charges are investigated. It is demonstrated that the citrate-reduced colloidal silver solution generates more reproducible SERS spectra. It is found that E. coli cells aggregate upon mixing with silver colloidal solution, and this may provide an additional benefit in locating the bacterial cell under a light microscope. It is also found that a laser wavelength in the UV region could be a better choice for the study due to the shallow penetration depth. It is finally shown that it is possible to obtain SERS spectra from a single cell down to a few bacterial cells, depending on the aggregation properties of bacterial cells for identification and discrimination.     

Influence of Dispersing Agents on the Solubility of Perovskites in Water

In this study, solubility behavior of lead magnesium niobate (PMN) powders in water was investigated in the presence of pure polyacrylic acid and polyacrylic acid/polyethylene oxide comb polymers. Experiments were performed by measuring the solubility of PMN in terms of the concentration of Pb⁺² and Mg⁺² ions in supernatant as a function of pH and dispersing agent dosage. The concentrations of the metal ions in supernatant were found to be affected by the dispersant concentration, stirring time and the suspension pH. Results revealed that both dispersing agents enhance the cation dissolution from PMN surface at pH 9 due to weak (reversible) adsorption and complexation of Pb⁺² and Mg⁺² by carboxylate groups. On the other hand, under acidic conditions cation dissolution from PMN is inhibited and this was attributed to the strong adsorption of dispersing agents onto the powder surface and formation of a dense polymer layer.