Phytochemical Characterization,In Vitro Anti-Inflammatory,Anti-Diabetic,and Cytotoxic Activities of the Edible Aromatic Plant; Pulicaria jaubertii

Pulicaria jaubertii is a medicinal herb that alleviates inflammations and fever. Chromatographic separation, phytochemical characterization, and in vitro biological activities of the plant n-hexane extract were conducted for the first time in this study. Six compounds were isolated for the first time from the n-hexane fraction of Pulicaria jaubertii aerial parts and were identified on the bases of NMR and MS analyses as pseudo-taraxaterol (1), pseudo-taraxasterol acetate (2), 3β-acetoxytaraxaster-20-en-30-aldehyde (3), calenduladiol-3-O-palmitate (4), stigmasterol (5), and α-tocospiro B (6). Compound (6) was a rare tocopherol-related compound and was isolated for the first time from family Asteraceae, while compound (3) was isolated for the first time from genus Pulicaria. The total alcoholic extract and n-hexane fraction were tested for their anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, and cytotoxic activities. The n-hexane fraction has dose dependent red blood cells (RBCs) membrane stabilization and inhibition of histamine release activities with IC₅₀: 60.8 and 72.9 µg/mL, respectively. As antidiabetic activity, the alcoholic extract exerted the most inhibition on the activity of yeast α-glucosidase, with an IC₅₀: 76.8 µg/mL. The n-hexane fraction showed cytotoxic activity against hepatocarcinoma (HepG-2), breast carcinoma (MCF-7), and prostate carcinoma (PC-3) cell lines with IC₅₀: 51.8, 90.8 and 62.2 µg/mL, respectively. In conclusion, the anti-inflammatory effect of Pulicaria jaubertii might be attributed to the triterpenoid constituents of the n-hexane extract of the plant.     

The interaction of [Pd(N,N-dimethylaminopropylamine)(H2O)]2+ with dicarboxylic acids and inosine: Thermodynamic model for carboplatin drug

The Pd(DMPA)Cl₂ complex, where DMPA = N,N-dimethylaminoproylamine, was synthesized and characterized. The stoichiometry and stability constants of the complexes formed between various dicarboxylic acids and [Pd(DMPA)(H₂O)₂]²⁺ were investigated. The effect of solvent dielectric constant, chloride ion concentration of the medium and temperature on the stability constant of the cyclobutanedicaroxylic acid (CBDCA) complex was investigated. The equilibrium constants for the displacement of coordinated CBDCA by inosine, taken as an example of DNA constituents, were calculated. The results are expected to contribute to the chemistry of antitumour agents.      

Structure and dielectric studies of nano-composite Fe2O3: BaTiO3 prepared by sol-gel method

Nano-structure pure barium titanate (BaTiO₃) and that was doped with iron oxide (Fe₂O₃), have been prepared by sol-gel method, using barium acetate (Ba(Ac)₂) and titanium butoxide (Ti(C₄H₉O)₄), as precursors. The as-grown prepared samples by sol-gel technique were found to be amorphous, which crystallized to the tetragonal phase after synthesized at 750 °C in air for 1 h as detected from the XRD patterns. The XRD data were confirmed by transmission electron microscope (TEM). The dielectric properties namely; dielectric constant (ε′) and loss tangent (tan δ) in the frequency range between 42 Hz and 1 MHz, at range of temperature 25-250 °C were investigated. The temperature dependence of ε′ and tan δ for the undoped and doped materials, at 1 kHz, was also investigated. As a result, tan δ increased rapidly with decreasing temperature below 125 °C (Curie temperature) while above this temperature, tan δ shows temperature independent. As a result, below and above Curie temperature, ferroelectric phase and paraelectric phase of BaTiO₃ can be obtained, respectively.     

Efficiency of Fe3O4 Nanoparticles with Different Pretreatments for Enhancing Biogas Yield of Macroalgae Ulva intestinalis Linnaeus

In this work, different pretreatment methods for algae proved to be very effective in improving cell wall dissociation for biogas production. In this study, the Ulva intestinalis Linnaeus (U. intestinalis) has been exposed to individual pretreatments of (ultrasonic, ozone, microwave, and green synthesized Fe₃O₄) and in a combination of the first three mentioned pretreatments methods with magnetite (Fe₃O₄) NPs, (ultrasonic-Fe₃O₄, ozone-Fe₃O₄ and microwave-Fe₃O₄) in different treatment times. Moreover, the green synthesized Fe₃O₄ NPs has been confirmed by FTIR, TEM, XRD, SEM, EDEX, PSA and BET. The maximum biogas production of 179 and 206 mL/g VS have been attained when U. intestinalis has been treated with ultrasonic only and when combined microwave with Fe₃O₄ respectively, where sediment were used as inoculum in all pretreatments. From the obtained results, green Fe₃O₄ NPs enhanced the microwave (MW) treatment to produce a higher biogas yield (206 mL/g VS) when compared with individual MW (84 mL/g VS). The modified Gompertz model (R² = 0.996 was appropriate model to match the calculated biogas production and could be used more practically to distinguish the kinetics of the anaerobic digestion (AD) period. The assessment of XRD, SEM and FTIR discovered the influence of different treatment techniques on the cell wall structure of U. intestinalis.     

Reliability analysis of a consecutive r-out-of-n: F system based on neural networks

In this paper, we present a generalized Markov reliability and fault-tolerant model, which includes the effects of permanent fault and intermittent fault for reliability evaluations based on neural network techniques. The reliability of a consecutive r-out-of-n: F system was obtained with a three-layer connected neural network represents a discrete time state reliability Markov model of the system. Such that we fed the neural network with the desired reliability of the system under design. Then we extracted the parameters of the system from the neural weights at the convergence of the neural network to the desired reliability. Finally, we obtain simulation results.     

Oxonium Salts in the Synthesis and Spectral Behavior of Pyrano(pyrylium)‐mono methine Cyanine Dyes

Pyrano‐ and pyrylium mono‐8[4(1)] and/or 5(6)‐[2(4)]methine cyanine dyes ( 6a–k , 7a–f ) were synthesized based on acyclic heterocyclic Schiff bases of pyrolo[3,2‐d]pyrazole[oxazole(imidazol‐6‐one)]‐1‐ium iodide salts, 5‐acetyl‐N‐aryl[pyrazolinyl(pyridinyl)]pyrolo‐[5,4‐d]pyrazolin‐iodide salts, and/or (anhydro bases) precursors ( 1a–i , 2a–I , 3a–i , 4a–i , and 5A,Ba–i ). The structure of pyrylium‐9‐chloride and/or iodide and their pyrano(pyrylium)‐mono‐8[4(1)] and 5(6)[2(4)]methine cyanine dyes was identified by elemental and spectral data. The absorption spectra of some selected dyes were investigated in 95% EtOH, polar (nonpolar) organic solvents and in universal buffer solutions to investigate the optimal conditions for the application of such dyes as photosensitizers.     

Factors Controlling Natural Radionuclides Migration in Sedimentary Rock Samples,Gabal Um‐Hamd,Southwestern Sinai,Egypt

The activity concentrations of some radionuclides (²³⁸U, ²³⁴U, ²³⁰Th, ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th, ⁴⁰K and ²³⁵U) were measured by γ‐ray spectrometry in order to study their behavior and the relation between them in Carboniferous rock samples collected from Gabal (mountain) Um‐Hamd, southwestern Sinai, Egypt. The whole samples are located in the two limbs and trough of a synclinal form structure to identify the radionuclides migration processes which have occurred in these rock samples. The average activity concentrations of ²³⁸U, ²³²Th, ²²⁶Ra, and ⁴⁰K measured in the all samples except sandy dolostone sample are higher than the worldwide average values as reported by UNSCEAR 2008. The activity ratios (²³⁴U/²³⁸U) for half of the samples are in equilibrium, while the other half samples are below unity indicates migration‐out of uranium. The hazard indices were also calculated. The variations in lithologic types and the configuration of the structural synform played its roles beside the physical and chemical properties of different radionuclides in their fractionations.     

Mineralized Polyvinyl Alcohol/Sodium Alginate Hydrogels Incorporating Cellulose Nanofibrils for Bone and Wound Healing

Bio sustainable hydrogels including tunable morphological and/or chemical cues currently offer a valid strategy of designing innovative systems to enhance healing/regeneration processes of damaged tissue areas. In this work, TEMPO-oxidized cellulose nanofibrils (T-CNFs) were embedded in alginate (Alg) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) solution to form a stable mineralized hydrogel. A calcium chloride reaction was optimized to trigger a crosslinking reaction of polymer chains and mutually promote in situ mineralization of calcium phosphates. FTIR, XRD, SEM/EDAX, and TEM were assessed to investigate the morphological, chemical, and physical properties of different mineralized hybrid hydrogels, confirming differences in the deposited crystalline nanostructures, i.e., dicalcium phosphate dehydrate (DCPDH) and hydroxyapatite, respectively, as a function of applied pH conditions (i.e., pH 4 or 8). Moreover, in vitro tests, in the presence of HFB-4 and HSF skin cells, confirmed a low cytotoxicity of the mineralized hybrid hydrogels, and also highlighted a significant increase in cell viability via MTT tests, preferentially, for the low concentration, crosslinked Alg/PVA/calcium phosphate hybrid materials (<1 mg/mL) in the presence of hydroxyapatite. These preliminary results suggest a promising use of mineralized hybrid hydrogels based on Alg/PVA/T-CNFs for bone and wound healing applications.