Spectral methods for pantograph-type differential and integral equations with multiple delays

We analyze the convergence properties of the spectral method when used to approximate smooth solutions of delay differential or integral equations with two or more vanishing delays. It is shown that for the pantograph-type functional equations the spectral methods yield the familiar exponential order of convergence. Various numerical examples are used to illustrate these results.      

Asymmetric aldol additions: use of titanium tetrachloride and (-)-sparteine for the soft enolization of N-acyl oxazolidinones, oxazolidinethiones, and thiazolidinethiones.

Asymmetric aldol additions using chlorotitanium enolates of N-acyloxazolidinone, oxazolidinethione, and thiazolidinethione propionates proceed with high diastereoselectivity for the Evans or non-Evans syn product depending on the nature and amount of the base used. With 1 equiv of titanium tetrachloride and 2 equiv of (-)-sparteine as the base or 1 equiv of (-)-sparteine and 1 equiv of N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone, selectivities of 97:3 to > 99:1 were obtained for the Evans syn aldol products using N-propionyl oxazolidinones, oxazolidinethiones, and thiazolidinethiones. The non-Evans syn aldol adducts are available with the oxazolidinethione and thiazolidinethiones by altering the Lewis acid/amine base ratios. The change in facial selectivity in the aldol additions is proposed to be a result of switching of mechanistic pathways between chelated and nonchelated transition states. The auxiliaries can be reductively removed or cleaved by nucleophilic acyl substitution. Iterative aldol sequences with high diastereoselectivity can also be accomplished.     

Radiation effect on temperature distribution in three-dimensional Couette flow with suction or injection

A theoretical analysis of three-dimensional Couette flow with radiation effect on temperature distribution has been analysed, when the injection of the fluid at the lower stationary plate is a transverse sinusoidal one and its corresponding removal by constant suction through the upper porous plate is in uniform motion. Due to this type of injection velocity, the flow becomes three-dimensional. The effect of Prandtl number, radiation parameter and injection parameter on rate of heat transfer has been examined by the help of graphs. The Prandtl number has a much greater effect on the temperature distribution than the injection or radiation parameter.     

Exogenous Application of Green Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) to Improve the Germination,Physiochemical, and Yield Parameters of Wheat Plants under Salinity Stress

Agriculture is the backbone of every developing country. Among various crops, wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) belongs to the family Poaceae and is the most important staple food crop of various countries. Different biotic (viruses, bacteria and fungi) and abiotic stresses (water logging, drought and salinity) adversely affect the qualitative and quantitative attributes of wheat. Among these stresses, salinity stress is a very important limiting factor affecting the morphological, physiological, biochemical attributes and grain yield of wheat. This research work was carried out to evaluate the influence of phytosynthesized TiO₂ NPs on the germination, physiochemical, and yield attributes of wheat varieties in response to salinity. TiO₂ NPs were synthesized using TiO₂ salt and a Buddleja asiatica plant extract as a reducing and capping agent. Various concentrations of TiO₂ nanoparticles (20, 40, 60 and 80 mg/L) and salt solutions (NaCl) (100 and 150 mM) were used. A total of 20 mg/L and 40 mg/L improve germination attributes, osmotic and water potential, carotenoid, total phenolic, and flavonoid content, soluble sugar and proteins, proline and amino acid content, superoxide dismutase activity, and reduce malondialdhehyde (MDA) content at both levels of salinity. These two concentrations also improved the yield attributes of wheat varieties at both salinity levels. The best results were observed at 40 mg/L of TiO₂ NPs at both salinity levels. However, the highest concentrations (60 and 80 mg/L) of TiO₂ NPs showed negative effects on germination, physiochemical and yield characteristics and causes stress in both wheat varieties under control irrigation conditions and salinity stress. Therefore, in conclusion, the findings of this research are that the foliar application of TiO₂ NPs can help to improve tolerance against salinity stress in plants.     

Cattaneo–Christov heat flux model for stagnation point flow of micropolar nanofluid toward a nonlinear stretching surface with slip effects

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry - Cattaneo–Christov with variable thermal relaxation time and entropy generation is the main concern of this study. The micropolar fluid with...     

Revisiting and enhancing electrochemical properties of SnO2 as anode for sodium-ion batteries

Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry - The tin oxide (SnO2) thin films have been prepared by the pulsed laser deposition (PLD) at deposition temperatures (Td) ranging from 300 to...     

Determination of oil contents from eight varieties of olea europaea (Olive) grown in Pakistan

Abstract

The olive (Olea europaea L.) is a worldwide famous tree crop having valuable commercial role due to nutritional as well as therapeutic benefits obtained from its edible oil. Eight varieties of Olea europaea L. fruits were obtained from three Agricultural research institutes located in different areas of Pakistan including Quetta, Lorallia and Zhob to extract and determine their oil contents by conventional method as solvent extraction (soxhlet apparatus). Statistical analysis showed significant (p?=?0.002) difference in oil composition of collected plants. Highest amount (percentage) of oil was obtained from Gemlik variety (65%) from Lorallia and lowest oil content from Dolece-agogia variety (17.5%) collected from Quetta. Further research is under consideration to rule out best suitable factors including some soil and environmental factors to obtained more potential cultivars of Olea europaea in Pakistan.     

Low-limit photo-acoustic detection of solid RDX and TNT explosives with carbon dioxide laser

We report the absorption spectra of RDX and TNT explosive samples in solid form at room temperature using a carbon dioxide laser-based photo-acoustic technique. A continuous wave ¹²C¹⁶O₂ laser, tunable between the 9.25–10.74 μm wavelength region, was used as an energy source. Interference-free limits of detection of solid RDX and TNT in simulated samples are estimated to be 10.0 and 16.5 ppbw, respectively. Published in Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 73, No. 1, pp. 113–118, January–February, 2006.     

Multi-walled carbon nanotubes-ferroelectric liquid crystal nanocomposites: effect of cell thickness and dopant concentration on electro-optic and dielectric behaviour

Nanocomposites comprise functionalised multi-walled carbon nanotubes (0.00 wt%, 0.05 wt% and 0.07 wt%) and ferroelectric liquid crystals (FLCs) have been studied in the 5-μm- and 12-μm-thickness cells. Effect of anchoring energy and dopant concentration on the mesomorphic, electro-optic and dielectric behaviour of FLC has been explored. Fast switching time and increase in permittivity of non-doped FLCs and resulting nanocomposites as a function of increased cell thickness (from 5 to 12 μm) can be attributed to the change in the anchoring energy and direct current (DC) conductivity of the non-doped and doped systems. π–π stacking between carbon nanotubes and FLC layers give rise to the spontaneous polarisation of nanocomposites. Effect of cell thickness and anchoring energy on bistability are also discussed.     

Effect of addition of hydrophilic ionic liquid 3-methyl-1-pentylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([C5mim][BF4]) on an aqueous solution of triton X-100

The effect of addition of 3-methyl-1-pentylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([C₅mim][BF₄]) on the micellization of a nonionic surfactant, Triton X-100 (TX-100), has been investigated. The techniques employed to study the aggregation behavior are fluoremetry, dynamic light scattering (DLS), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and the concentration range covered is 0–2?wt% [C₅mim][BF₄]. The probes, viz. pyrene and pyrene-1-carboxaldehyde (PyCHO), have been used for fluorescence analysis. According to the findings, the addition of pentyl-chained ionic liquid (IL) to aqueous TX-100 results in a dramatic increase in critical micelle concentration (cmc) decrease in micellar size, and aggregation number pointing toward an overall “unfavorable” aggregation process.