Biosynthesis of TiO2 nanoparticles and their superior antibacterial effect against human nosocomial bacterial pathogens

Research on Chemical Intermediates - Antibacterial titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2NPs) were biologically synthesized by microwave irradiation of Cissus quadrangularis extract followed by...     

In silico elucidation of the inclusion phenomenon and permeation behavior of a zidovudine–cyclodextrin complex via static lattice atomistic simulation

This study explored the molecular arrangement of the drug molecule zidovudine (AZT) within an inclusion complex of β-cyclodextrin (βCD). The intrinsic mechanistic profiling of the AZT–βCD inclusion complex was investigated using molecular modeling and structurally designed docking studies via molecular mechanics Force-Field simulations. The energetically and geometrically optimized molecular conformations revealed that the AZT molecule was preferentially oriented toward the primary rim of the βCD cavity with the azido group positioned within the cyclodextrin ring. In the second phase of this study, the mechanism of AZT permeability across the transmucosal membrane after inclusion into βCD was elucidated via interaction between βCD and the transmucosal lipid, glycosylceramide (GLC). Interestingly, βCD formed H-bonds with the lipid head groups of GLC via the secondary rim. A systematic merge of these findings elucidated a novel “tunnel model” designated to the trimolecular complex: AZT-1°ring–βCD-2°ring–GLC. The energetic parameters, grid surface area, molecular volume, surface-to-volume-ratio, Log-P, refractivity, and polarizability were computed for the molecular complexes. Computationally, the Molecular Mechanics Assisted Model Building and Energy Refinements (AMBER) algorithm was used to develop a molecular mechanics energy relationship (MMER). The MMER elucidated the role of destabilized bond stretching, angle modification and torsional strain in ionic stabilization of the geometrical complexes through hydrophobic H-bonding and electrostatic interactions. These results provided a novel bonding and non-bonding correlation for the formation and performance of βCD in terms of its role in the prospective permeation modification of the AZT molecule through the transmucosal membrane with an optimum hydrophilic–lipophilic-permeation balance.     

Dielectric behaviour of cellulose acetate-based polymer electrolytes

The present work deals with the findings on the dielectric behaviour of cellulose acetate (CA) and its complexes consisting of ammonium tetrafluoroborate (NH₄BF₄) and polyethylene glycol with a molecular weight of 600?g/mol (PEG₆₀₀) that were prepared using the solution casting method. The highest ?? obtained for CA-NH₄BF₄ film was 2.18?×?10^?7 S cm^?1 and enhanced to 1.41?×?10^?5 S cm^?1 with the addition of 30?wt.% PEG₆₀₀. The dielectric behaviours of the selected samples were analyzed using complex impedance Z*, complex admittance A*, complex permittivity ?*, and complex electric modulus M*-based frequency and temperature dependence in the range of 10?Hz?C1?MHz and 303?C363?K, respectively. The variation in dielectric permittivity (?? _r and ?? _i) as a function of frequency at different temperatures exhibits a dispersive behaviour at low frequencies and decays at higher frequencies. The variation in dielectric permittivity as a function of temperature at different frequencies is typical of polar dielectrics in which the orientation of dipoles is facilitated with the rising temperature, and thereby the permittivity is increased. Modulus analysis was also performed to understand the mechanism of electrical transport process, whereas relaxation time was determined from the variation in loss tangent with temperature at different frequencies.     

Mechanical properties in relation to vehicle mobility of Sepang peat terrain in Malaysia

An analytical framework for determining the mechanical properties of peat and predicting the tractive performance of tracked vehicle is presented. It takes into account the load-sinkage and shearing characteristics of peat as well as all major design parameters of tracked vehicle. An experimental study on the mechanical properties of peat soil was conducted at Sepang area, Selangor, Malaysia. The stiffness values of surface mat and underlying weak peat deposit from load-sinkage test were determined by specially made bearing capacity apparatus. The mean values of surface mat stiffness before and after drainage were found to be 31 and 45.62 kN/m³, respectively and the mean values of underlying peat stiffness before and after drainage were found to be 252 and 380.20 kN/m³, respectively. The mean value of the internal frictional angle, cohesiveness and shear deformation modulus of the peat soil sample were determined using a direct shear box apparatus in the laboratory. The mean values of internal friction angle, cohesiveness and shear deformation modulus before and after drainage were found to be 22.80° and 24.31°, 2.63 and 2.89 kN/m², and 1.21 and 1.37 cm, respectively.     

Effect of inflation pressure on motion resistance ratio of a high-lug agricultural tyre

A single wheel tyre facility at University Putra Malaysia (UPM) was used to check the validity of Wismer–Luth and Brixius equations in predicting the motion resistance ratio of a high-lug agricultural tyre and to investigate the effect of inflation pressure. A Bridgestone 5-12, 4 ply, lug M was tested on sandy-clay-loam soil. The experiments were conducted by running the tyre in towing mode. Three inflation pressures (i.e., 166, 193 and 221 kPa) were investigated and wheel numerics ranging between 0 and 70. The analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) revealed that both inflation pressure and wheel numeric have significant effects on tyre motion resistance ratio. Regression analysis was also conducted to determine the closeness of fit for Wismer–Luth’s and Brixius’ equations in predicting the motion resistance ratio of the tested tyre. Finally, three new logarithmic models for tyre motion resistance were formulated. The advantage of reducing tyre inflation pressure from 221 (nominal pressure) to 193 kPa on the motion resistance ratio of the high-lug agricultural tyre was pronounced. However, the tyre’s motion resistance ratio deteriorated with further reduction in tyre inflation pressure from 221 (nominal pressure) to 166 kPa.     

Bulk flow parameters in turbulent wall boundary layers near separation

Experiments were conducted in a turbulent boundary layer near separation along a flat plate. The pressure gradient in flow direction was varied such that three significant boundary layer configurations could be maintained. The flow in the test section thus had simultaneously a region of favourable pressure gradient, a region of strong adverse pressure gradient with boundary layer separation and a region of reattached boundary layer. Specially designed fine probes facilitated the measurements of skin friction and velocity distribution very close to the wall. Bulk flow parameters such as skin friction coefficient C _f, Reynold's number Re_δ2 and shape factors H and G, which are significant characteristics of wall boundary layers were evaluated. The dependence of these parameters on the Reynolds number and along the test section was explored and the values were compared with other empirical and analytical formulae known in the literature.     

Effect of Nanofluid Treatment on Water Sensitive Formation to Investigate Water Shock Phenomenon,An Experimental Study

Permeability reduction in porous media as a result of frail and tenuous fine particles migration would decrease the productivity index in the subterranean reservoirs. During reservoir stimulation by injecting fluids into the reservoir, as the salinity condition of the formation brine changes, fine particles initiate the triggering process. In this study, MgO-based nanofluid as a fines fixation agent was stably prepared based on the particle size distribution and characterized through transmission electron microscopy analysis. Afterward, several core flooding tests were performed using Berea sandstone cores to study the effect of nanofluid injection on fines fixation in the water shock phenomenon. Permeability reduction occurred up to 95% of inchoate permeability for no treatment case, which was also confirmed by scanning electron microscopy analysis. Finally, MgO nanofluid with 0.03 wt% concentration and 120 minutes soaking time in the core mitigated the fine particles release and fixed them on the pore walls' surfaces critically reducing the formation damage. The analysis shows that outweighing the attraction potentials compared to repulsions was the main mechanism after nanofluids treatment.     

Intensity correlations of general type beam in weakly turbulent atmosphere

In weakly turbulent atmosphere, intensity correlations at the receiver plane are formulated for a general type optical beam. Evaluating our formula at the appropriate source parameters versus the diagonal distance, intensity correlations for cos Gaussian, cosh Gaussian, annular and flat-topped Gaussian beams are obtained. As compared to Gaussian beam, intensity correlations are found smaller for cos Gaussian and larger for cosh Gaussian beams. Intensity correlations of cos Gaussian, cosh Gaussian and flat-topped Gaussian beams become larger at large source sizes. Thicker annular beams and flatter flat-topped Gaussian beams show larger intensity correlations. Without generalizing, intensity correlations tend to increase when the link length and the structure constant decrease and the wavelength increases. Our results show that the intensity correlations are not only built up using random medium effects, but also using the diffraction pattern formed at the receiver plane for the specific incidence investigated. As a check point, for all source types and medium parameters, our evaluations indicate that intensity correlations approach zero at sufficiently large diagonal distances.     

Field correlations of flat-topped Gaussian and annular beams in turbulence

Starting from the second order moment formulation for multi-beam incidence, field correlations at the receiver plane of flat-topped Gaussian and annular beams are found in turbulence. Reflecting the information on both the randomness due to turbulence and the field profile of the incident field, field correlations of the flat-topped Gaussian beams are found to become larger at larger source size, smaller flatness parameters and smaller turbulence strengths. For the annular beam structures, field correlations are larger for thicker beams. Field correlations of larger primary beam sized annular incidences are smaller at smaller diagonal distances and larger at larger diagonal distances. As expected, annular beam field correlations are found to be larger at smaller structure constants and at smaller wavelengths. However, at large link lengths, field correlations could be larger than at smaller link lengths due to fact that for annular beams, the field at the centre of the receiver attains very small value at smaller link lengths, however, on propagation in turbulence, receiver field distribution changes to a Gaussian profile.