Aspochalasin H1: A New Cyclic Aspochalasin from Hawaiian Plant-Associated Endophytic Fungus Aspergillus sp. FT1307

Aspergillus is one of the most diverse genera, and it is chemically profound and known to produce many biologically active secondary metabolites. In the present study, a new aspochalasin H1 (1), together with nine known compounds (2–10), were isolated from a Hawaiian plant-associated endophytic fungus Aspergillus sp. FT1307. The structures were elucidated using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) (¹H, ¹H-¹H COSY, HSQC, HMBC, ROESY and 1D NOE), high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectroscopy (HRESIMS), and comparisons with the reported literature. The absolute configuration of the new compound was established by electronic circular dichroism (ECD) in combination with NMR calculations. The new compound contains an epoxide moiety and an adjacent trans-diol, which has not been reported before in the aspochalasin family. The antibacterial screening of the isolated compounds was carried out against pathogenic bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Methicillin-resistant S. aureus and Bacillus subtilis). The antiproliferative activity of compounds 1–10 was evaluated against human breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7 and T46D) and ovarian cancer cell lines (A2780).     

Quantification of Aluminum Gallium Arsenide (AlGaAs) Wafer Plasma Using Calibration-Free Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (CF-LIBS)

In this work, we report the results of the compositional analysis of an aluminum gallium arsenide (AlGaAs) sample using the calibration-free laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (CF-LIBS) technique. The AlGaAs sample was doped with three various concentrations of gallium (Ga), arsenic (As), and aluminum (Al), as reported by the manufacturer, and the CF-LIBS technique was employed to identify the doping concentration. A pulsed Q-switched Nd: YAG laser capable of delivering 200 and 400 mJ energy at 532 and 1064 nm, respectively, was focused on the target sample for ablation, and the resulting emission spectra were captured using a LIBS 2000+ spectrometer covering the spectral range from 200 to 720 nm. The emission spectra of the AlGaAs sample yielded spectral lines of Ga, As, and Al. These lines were further used to calculate the plasma parameters, including electron temperature and electron number density. The Boltzmann plot method was used to calculate the electron temperature, and the average electron temperature was found to be 5744 ± 500 K. Furthermore, the electron number density was calculated from the Stark-broadened line profile method, and the average number density was calculated to be 6.5 × 10¹⁷ cm⁻³. It is further observed that the plasma parameters including electron temperature and electron number density have an increasing trend with laser irradiance and a decreasing trend along the plume length up to 2 mm. Finally, the elemental concentrations in terms of weight percentage using the CF-LIBS method were calculated to be Ga: 94%, Al: 4.77% and As: 1.23% for sample-1; Ga: 95.63%, Al: 1.15% and As: 3.22% for sample-2; and Ga: 97.32%, Al: 0.69% and As: 1.99% for sample-3. The certified concentrations were Ga: 95%, Al: 3% and As: 2% for sample-1; Ga: 96.05%, Al: 1% and As: 2.95% for sample-2; and Ga: 97.32%, Al: 0.69% and As: 1.99% for sample-3. The concentrations measured by CF-LIBS showed good agreement with the certified values reported by the manufacturer. These findings suggest that the CF-LIBS technique opens up an avenue for the industrial application of LIBS, where quantitative/qualitative analysis of the material is highly desirable.     

Synthesis of novel 5,6,7,8,9,10-hexahydropyrimido[4,5-b]quinoline derivatives for antimicrobial and anti-oxidant evaluation

Because of the well-known chemotherapeutic activity of pyrimidoquinolines, a new series of the title compounds were synthesized and biologically screened for their antimicrobial and anti-oxidant activities. The intermediate compound, 2-amino-1-cyclohexyl-4-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-1,4,5,6,7,8-hexahydroquinoline-3-carbonitrile (2), was prepared and allowed to react with oxalyl chloride to give the corresponding strategic starting material, 10-cyclohexyl-5-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-4-oxo-3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10-octahydropyrimido[4,5-b]quinoline-2-carbonyl chloride 3. Compound 3 underwent diverse reactions with amines to give the corresponding carboxylic amides 4, with alcohols to give the carboxylic esters 5 and with hydrazine to give the carbohydrazide 8. Compound 8 reacted with aldoses to give the corresponding polyhydroxy(-)alkyl Schiff bases 9, which upon reaction with thioglycolic acid afforded the thiazolidinone-C-acyclic nucleosides 10. Several other pyrimidoquinolines incorporated to oxadiazole, iminothiazolidinones and thiadiazoles were synthesized starting from the 2-carbohydrazide derivative 8. Most of the newly prepared derivatives showed considerable antimicrobial activity against Gram +ve and Gram ?ve bacteria and anti-oxidant activity.     

RP-HPLC Method for Simultaneous Determination of Sofosbuvir and Ledipasvir in Tablet Dosage Form and Its Application to In Vitro Dissolution Studies

A reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic method was developed for the simultaneous determination of sofosbuvir and ledipasvir in tablet dosage form. The analysis was performed on Luna analytical column 250 × 4.6 mm, 5 µm, octyl silica packing (Si–[CH₂]₇–CH₃) C8, using ammonium acetate buffer solution pH 7.0 and acetonitrile 35:65 % v/v as mobile phase at flow rate of 0.7 mL min⁻¹ for isocratic elution. Detection of sofosbuvir and ledipasvir was performed on a UV detector at 245 nm. The retention times of sofosbuvir and ledipasvir were 4.468 ± 0.013 min and 8.242 ± 0.012 min, respectively, and the total run time was 20 min. The method was validated according to the requirements of the United States Pharmacopeia (category I). The overall recovery of both analytes was 100 ± 1 %; the relative standard deviation for precision and intraday precision was less than 2.0 %. The method was linear with correlation coefficient (r) >0.9999, limits of detection 0.485 and 0.175 µg mL⁻¹, and limits of quantification was 1.619 and 0.586 µg mL⁻¹ for sofosbuvir and ledipasvir, respectively. The method was successfully applied to the assay and in vitro dissolution studies of sofosbuvir and ledipasvir in tablet dosage form.

     

Solitons and conservation laws of Klein–Gordon equation with power law and log law nonlinearities

This paper obtains the conservation laws of the Klein–Gordon equation with power law and log law nonlinearities. The multiplier approach with Lie symmetry analysis is employed to obtain the conserved densities. The 1-soliton solutions are subsequently used to compute the conserved quantities from the conserved densities. Later the perturbation terms are added and the conservation laws of the perturbed Klein–Gordon equation are studied.     

Optimal government scrappage subsidies in the presence of strategic consumers

Many countries have introduced vehicle scrappage programs to motivate consumers to replace their old cars earlier. Since these programs are generally offered over a given period of time, policy makers need to plan for inter-temporal subsidies. Considering a two-period game between strategic consumers and the government, we determine the optimal scrappage subsidy levels. Our results demonstrate that the subsidy level in the second period is higher than in the first, allowing the government to discriminate on price (or subsidy) between consumers with different valuations. In addition, we show that subsidy levels increase with the government’s targeted replacement level. However, when the government target level changes from intermediate to high, the first-period subsidy drops while the second-period subsidy remains unchanged.     

Velocity measurements in jets with application to noise source modeling

This paper describes an experimental investigation of the statistical properties of turbulent velocity fluctuations in an axisymmetric jet. The focus is on those properties that are relevant to the prediction of noise. Measurements are performed using two single hot-wire anemometers as well as a two-component anemometer. Two-point cross correlations of the axial velocity fluctuations and of the fluctuations in the square of the axial velocity fluctuations are presented. Several reference locations in the jet are used including points on the jet lip and centerline. The scales of the turbulence and the convection velocity are determined, both in an overall sense as well as a function of frequency. The relationship between the second and fourth order correlations is developed and compared with the experimental data. The implications of the use of dimensional as well as non-dimensional correlations are considered. Finally, a comparison is made between the length scales deduced from the flow measurements and a RANS CFD calculation.     

Comparative experimental studies on the mechanical and degradation properties of natural fibers reinforced polypropylene composites

Coir/silk fiber-reinforced polypropylene (PP) based unidirectional composites (40 wt.%) were manufactured by compression molding. Coir/silk fibers and PP sheets were treated with ultraviolet radiation at different intensities and then composites were fabricated. It was found that mechanical properties of irradiated silk/irradiated PP composites were found to increase significantly compared to the untreated ones and even higher than that of irradiated coir/irradiated PP composites. Soil degradation tests indicated that irradiated coir/irradiated PP composites significantly lost much of its mechanical properties, but irradiated silk/irradiated PP composites retained their strength of its original integrity. Scanning electron microscopy and water uptake of both types of composites were also investigated.     

Elevated radionuclide concentrations in heavy mineral-rich beach sands in the Cox's Bazar region, Bangladesh and related possible radiological effects

The study focuses on elevated levels of environmental radioactivity present in heavy mineral deposits located along a 120-km coastal section of Cox's Bazar on the eastern panhandle of Bangladesh. The deposits are situated in or at sand dunes located on the recent beach (foredune area) or in attached paleo-beach areas (backdune area). This study investigates activity concentrations in bulk beach sands (six representative samples) and in five mineral fractions separated from the beach sands in order to assess potential radio-ecological effects and the possible use of the mineral deposits as a source for uranium and thorium. The bulk beach sands and individual mineral fractions were analysed by gamma-ray spectroscopy. The activity concentrations of U-238, U-235, Th-232 and K-40 in the bulk beach sand samples were found to be considerably high and positively correlated to the concentration of heavy minerals in the sand. In the mineral fractions, the highest activity concentrations were found in the zircon fraction followed by garnet, rutile, ilmenite and magnetite. The determination of (i) the radium activity, (ii) several radiation hazard indices and (iii) adsorbed and effective gamma doses allowed to assess the related exposure of the environment and the local population to elevated radioactivity. It becomes evident from the present data that (1) if raw sands or mineral fractions mined in the study area are used for building purposes or industrial use, their activity concentrations have to be considered from a radio-ecological perspective and (2) if mining and processing of the minerals is being considered, uranium and thorium may become strategically significant by-products.