Incorporating the dynamic mathematics software GeoGebra into a history of mathematics course

The purpose of this study was to investigate pre-service teachers’ views about the history of mathematics course in which GeoGebra was used. The qualitative research design was used in this study. The participants of the study consisted of 23 pre-service mathematics teachers studying at a state university in Turkey. An open-ended questionnaire was used as a data collection tool. Qualitative data obtained from the pre-service teachers were analyzed by means of content analysis. As a result, it was determined that GeoGebra software was an effective tool in the learning and teaching of the history of mathematics.     

On The Spaces of Linear Operators Acting Between Asymmetric Cone Normed Spaces

An asymmetric norm is a positive sublinear functional p on a real vector space X satisfying \(x=\theta _X\) whenever \(p(x)=p(-x)=0\). Since the space of all lower semi-continuous linear functionals of an asymmetric normed space is not a linear space, the theory is different in the asymmetric case. The main purpose of this study is to define bounded and continuous linear operators acting between asymmetric cone normed spaces. After examining the differences with symmetric case, we give some results related to Baire’s characterization of completeness in asymmetric cone normed spaces.     

Flavone glucosides from Artemisia juncea

A new flavone glucoside, 4′,5-dihydroxy-3′,5′,6-trimethoxyflavone-7-O-β-D-glucoside was obtained from aerial parts of Artemisia juncea, together with the known flavone eupatilin (5,7-dihydroxy-3′,4′,6-trimethoxyflavone). The compounds were comprehensively analytically characterized by IR, UV, NMR and HR-MS, and their chemical structures ascertained. The EtOAc fraction of A. juncea showed the strongest DPPH radical scavenging ability as well as reducing power (in CUPRAC and FRAP assays) and phosphomolybdenum activity. This fraction also exhibited the strongest inhibitory effects on tyrosinase. Additionally, the best antidiabetic effects were observed for eupatilin and the CHCl₃ fraction.     

Unravelling the Phytochemical Composition and the Pharmacological Properties of an Optimized Extract from the Fruit from Prunus mahaleb L.: From Traditional Liqueur Market to the Pharmacy Shelf

Prunus mahaleb L. fruit has long been used in the production of traditional liqueurs. The fruit also displayed scavenging and reducing activity, in vitro. The present study focused on unravelling peripheral and central protective effects, antimicrobial but also anti-COVID-19 properties exerted by the water extract of P. mahaleb. Anti-inflammatory effects were studied in isolated mouse colons exposed to lipopolysaccharide. Neuroprotection, measured as a blunting effect on hydrogen-peroxide-induced dopamine turnover, was investigated in hypothalamic HypoE22 cells. Antimicrobial effects were tested against different Gram+ and Gram- bacterial strains. Whereas anti-COVID-19 activity was studied in lung adenocarcinoma H1299 cells, where the gene expression of ACE2 and TMPRSS2 was measured after extract treatment. The bacteriostatic effects induced on Gram+ and Gram- strains, together with the inhibition of COX-2, TNFα, HIF1α, and VEGFA in the colon, suggest the potential of P. mahaleb water extract in contrasting the clinical symptoms related to ulcerative colitis. The inhibition of the hydrogen peroxide-induced DOPAC/DA ratio indicates promising neuroprotective effects. Finally, the downregulation of the gene expression of ACE2 and TMPRSS2 in H1299 cells, suggests the potential to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 virus entry in the human host. Overall, the results support the valorization of the local cultivation of P. mahaleb.     

Intramolecular hydrogen bonding and tautomerism in N-(3-pyridil)-2-oxo-1-naphthylidenemethylamine

N-(3-pyridil)-2-oxo-1-naphthylidenemethylamine (C₁₆H₁₂N₂O) was studied by elemental analysis, IR, ¹H NMR, and UV–visible techniques and X-ray diffraction methods. The UV–visible spectrum of the compound was investigated in solutions effect polarity. The polarity of the some solvents was modifierly the additional (CF₃COOH) and [(C₂H₅)₃N]. The compound is in tautomeric equilibrium (phenol-imine O–H···N and keto-amine O···H–N forms) in polar and nonpolar solvents. The keto-amine form is observed in basic solutions of DMSO, ethanol, chloroform, benzene, cyclohexane, and in acidic solutions of chloroform and benzene, but not in acidic solutions of DMSO and ethanol. The compound crystallizes in the monoclinic, space group P2₁/a with a = 7.010(5) Å, b = 13.669(4) Å, c = 12.764(4) Å, = 101.23(4)°, V = 1199.6(10) ų, Z = 4, D _c = 1.375 g/cm³, (Mo K) = 0.088 mm^–1, R = 0.045 for 1658 reflections [I > 2(I)]. The title compound is not planar two Schiff base moieties A [C1–C11, O1] and B [N1, C12, C13, N2, C14, C15, C16] are inclined at an angle of 27.4(1)° reflecting mainly the twist about C12–N1 [C11–C12–N1–C13, 29.7(2)°]. There is a strong intramolecular hydrogen bond (O–H···N) of 2.529(2) Å.     

Keto–enol tautomerism, conformations, and structure of 1-[N-(4-chlorophenyl)]aminomethylidene-2(1H)naphthalenone

1-[N-(4-chlorophenyl)]aminomethylidene-2(1H)naphthalenone (C₁₇H₁₂NOCl) (1) was synthesized and the crystal structure was determined. Compound 1 crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2₁/n with a = 4.761(3) Å, b = 20.347(1) Å, c = 13.773(2) Å, = 92.89(3)°, V = 1332.4(3) ų, Z = 4, D _c = 1.404 g cm^–3, (Mo K) = 0.28 mm^–1, and R = 0.036 for 2680 reflections [I > 2(I)]. Molecule 1 is not planar, and the dihedral angle between the naphthaldeyde plane A [C1–C11, 01] and the 4-chloroaniline plane B [C12–C17, C11, N1] is 20.1(3)°. An intramolecular hydrogen bond occurs between the hydroxyl oxygen and imine nitrogen atoms [2.528(3) Å]. IR, ¹H NMR, and UV measurements and AM1 semiempirical quantum mechanical calculations support the keto form found in the X-ray structure.     

Glass bead grafting with poly(carboxylic acid) polymers and maleic anhydride copolymers

Glass beads were etched with acids and bases to increase the surface porosity and the number of silanol groups that could be used for grafting materials to the surfaces. The pretreated glass beads were functionalized using 3‐aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APS) coupling agent and then further chemically modified by reacting the carboxyl groups of carboxylic acid polymers with the amino groups of the pregrafted APS. Several carboxylic acid polymers and poly(maleic anhydride) copolymers, such as poly(acrylic acid) (PAA), poly(methacrylic acid) (PMA), poly(styrene‐alt‐maleic anhydride) (PSMA), and poly(ethylene‐alt‐maleic anhydride) (PEMA) were grafted onto the bead surface. The chemical modifications were investigated and characterized by FT‐IR spectroscopy, particle size analysis, and tensiometry for contact angle and porosity changes. The amount of APS and the different polymer grafted on the surface was determined from thermal gravimetric analysis and elemental analysis data. Spectroscopic studies and elemental analysis data showed that carboxylic acid polymers and maleic anhydride copolymers were chemically attached to the glass bead surface. The improved surface properties of surface modified glass beads were determined by measuring water and hexane penetration rates and contact angle. Contact angles increased and porosity decreased as the molecular weights of the polymer increased. The contact angles increased with the hydrophobicity of the attached polymer. The surface morphology was examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and showed an increase in roughness for etched glass beads. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Validation of the Antioxidant and Enzyme Inhibitory Potential of Selected Triterpenes Using In Vitro and In Silico Studies,and the Evaluation of Their ADMET Properties

The antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory potential of fifteen cycloartane-type triterpenes’ potentials were investigated using different assays. In the phosphomolybdenum method, cycloalpioside D (6) (4.05 mmol TEs/g) showed the highest activity. In 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH*) radical and 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline)-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) cation radical scavenging assays, cycloorbicoside A-7-monoacetate (2) (5.03 mg TE/g) and cycloorbicoside B (10) (10.60 mg TE/g) displayed the highest activities, respectively. Oleanolic acid (14) (51.45 mg TE/g) and 3-O-β-d-xylopyranoside-(23R,24S)-16β,23;16α,24-diepoxycycloart-25(26)-en-3β,7β-diol 7-monoacetate (4) (13.25 mg TE/g) revealed the highest reducing power in cupric ion-reducing activity (CUPRAC) and ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays, respectively. In metal-chelating activity on ferrous ions, compound 2 displayed the highest activity estimated by 41.00 mg EDTAE/g (EDTA equivalents/g). The tested triterpenes showed promising AChE and BChE inhibitory potential with 3-O-β-d-xylopyranoside-(23R,24S)-16β,23;16α,24-diepoxycycloart-25(26)-en-3β,7β-diol 2′,3′,4′,7-tetraacetate (3), exhibiting the highest inhibitory activity as estimated from 5.64 and 5.19 mg GALAE/g (galantamine equivalent/g), respectively. Compound 2 displayed the most potent tyrosinase inhibitory activity (113.24 mg KAE/g (mg kojic acid equivalent/g)). Regarding α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibition, 3-O-β-d-xylopyranoside-(23R,24S)-16β,23;16α,24-diepoxycycloart-25(26)-en-3β,7β-diol (5) (0.55 mmol ACAE/g) and compound 3 (25.18 mmol ACAE/g) exerted the highest activities, respectively. In silico studies focused on compounds 2, 6, and 7 as inhibitors of tyrosinase revealed that compound 2 displayed a good ranking score (−7.069 kcal/mole) and also that the ΔG free-binding energy was the highest among the three selected compounds. From the ADMET/TOPKAT prediction, it can be concluded that compounds 4 and 5 displayed the best pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic behavior, with considerable activity in most of the examined assays.     

Metabolomics and Physiological Insights into the Ability of Exogenously Applied Chlorogenic Acid and Hesperidin to Modulate Salt Stress in Lettuce Distinctively

Recent studies in the agronomic field indicate that the exogenous application of polyphenols can provide tolerance against various stresses in plants. However, the molecular processes underlying stress mitigation remain unclear, and little is known about the impact of exogenously applied phenolics, especially in combination with salinity. In this work, the impacts of exogenously applied chlorogenic acid (CA), hesperidin (HES), and their combination (HES + CA) have been investigated in lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) through untargeted metabolomics to evaluate mitigation effects against salinity. Growth parameters, physiological measurements, leaf relative water content, and osmotic potential as well as gas exchange parameters were also measured. As expected, salinity produced a significant decline in the physiological and biochemical parameters of lettuce. However, the treatments with exogenous phenolics, particularly HES and HES + CA, allowed lettuce to cope with salt stress condition. Interestingly, the treatments triggered a broad metabolic reprogramming that involved secondary metabolism and small molecules such as electron carriers, enzyme cofactors, and vitamins. Under salinity conditions, CA and HES + CA distinctively elicited secondary metabolism, nitrogen-containing compounds, osmoprotectants, and polyamines.     

Spectrofluorimetric Determination of Aflatoxin B1 in Winter Herbal Teas via Magnetic Solid Phase Extraction Method by using Metal–Organic Framework (MOF) Hybrid Structures Anchored with Magnetic Nanoparticles

MIL53(Al)-SiO₂@Fe₃O₄ composite was prepared by co-precipitation route with a typical Stöber synthetic process and ultrasonic-agitation, then subsequently utilized as a multi-component novel sorbent in solid-phase microextraction (SPME) of aflatoxin B1 in winter herbal teas. Microstructural properties of MIL53(Al)-SiO₂@Fe₃O₄ composite was characterized by using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) methods, and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area measurement. The MIL53(Al)-SiO₂@Fe₃O₄ composite was found to be a very effective sorbent in spectrofluorimetric determination of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in winter herbal teas via magnetic solid-phase extraction (SPE) route. The proposed method showed a wide linear range from 0.5 to 150 ng/ml, low limit of detection (LOD = 0.5 ng/ml), and an acceptable recovery values (70.7–96.5%) in real samples analysis. This study shows that the suggested method possesses an important potential to use for detecting AFB1 in quality control laboratories.