Biogenic Synthesis of NiO Nanoparticles Using Areca catechu Leaf Extract and Their Antidiabetic and Cytotoxic Effects

Nanoworld is an attractive sphere with the potential to explore novel nanomaterials with valuable applications in medicinal science. Herein, we report an efficient and ecofriendly approach for the synthesis of Nickel oxide nanoparticles (NiO NPs) via a solution combustion method using Areca catechu leaf extract. As-prepared NiO NPs were characterized using various analytical tools such as powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and UV-Visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis). XRD analysis illustrates that synthesized NiO NPs are hexagonal structured crystallites with an average size of 5.46 nm and a hexagonal-shaped morphology with slight agglomeration. The morphology, size, and shape of the obtained material was further confirmed using SEM and TEM analysis. In addition, as-prepared NiO NPs have shown potential antidiabetic and anticancer properties. Our results suggest that the inhibition of α-amylase enzyme with IC 50 value 268.13 µg/mL may be one of the feasible ways through which the NiO NPs exert their hypoglycemic effect. Furthermore, cytotoxic activity performed using NiO NPs exhibited against human lung cancer cell line (A549) proved that the prepared NiO NPs have significant anticancer activity with 93.349 μg/mL at 50% inhibition concentration. The biological assay results revealed that NiO NPs exhibited significant cytotoxicity against human lung cancer cell line (A549) in a dose-dependent manner from 0–100 μg/mL, showing considerable cell viability. Further, the systematic approach deliberates the NiO NPs as a function of phenolic extracts of A. catechu with vast potential for many biological and biomedical applications.     

A hybrid tabu search based heuristic for the periodic distribution inventory problem with perishable goods

Most of the research on integrated inventory and routing problems ignores the case when products are perishable. However, considering the integrated problem with perishable goods is crucial since any discrepancy between the routing and inventory cost can double down the risk of higher obsolescence costs due to the limited shelf-life of the products. In this paper, we consider a distribution problem involving a depot, a set of customers and a homogeneous fleet of capacitated vehicles. Perishable goods are transported from the depot to customers in such a way that out-of-stock situations never occur. The objective is to simultaneously determine the inventory and routing decisions over a given time horizon such that total transportation cost is minimized. We present a new “arc-based formulation” for the problem which is deemed more suitable for our new tabu search based approach for solving the problem. We perform a thorough sensitivity analysis for each of the tabu search parameters individually and use the obtained gaps to fine-tune the parameter values that are used in solving larger sized instances of the problem. We solve different sizes of randomly generated instances and compare the results obtained using the tabu search algorithm to those obtained by solving the problem using CPLEX and a recently published column generation algorithm. Our computational experiments demonstrate that the tabu search algorithm is capable of obtaining a near-optimal solution in less computational time than the time required to solve the problem to optimality using CPLEX, and outperforms the column generation algorithm for solving the “path flow formulation” of the problem in terms of solution quality in almost all of the considered instances.     

Efficient stochastic model for the point kinetics equations

A new stochastic model for the point kinetics equations with I-delayed neutron precursor groups is presented. In this stochastic model, the point kinetics equations are separated into three terms: prompt neutrons, delayed neutrons and external neutrons source. The matrix form of the efficient stochastic model is solved by a semi-analytical method. The semi-analytical method is based on the exponential function of the coefficient matrix. The eigenvalues of the coefficient matrix and Gaussian elimination are used to calculate this exponential function. The mean and standard deviation of neutron and precursor populations of the efficient stochastic model with step, ramp, and sinusoidal reactivities are computed. The results of the efficient stochastic model are compared with the results of Allen's stochastic model for the point kinetics equations. This comparison confirms that the efficient stochastic model is an accurate model compared with the deterministic point kinetics equations. This stochastic model is efficient to study the natural behavior of neutron and precursor populations in the nuclear reactor dynamics.     

On the Uniqueness Theory of Entire Functions and Their Difference Operators

In this paper, we consider uniqueness problems on entire functions that share a small periodic entire functions with their shifts and difference operators, we improve also some results due to B. Chen, Z. X. Chen and S. Li.     

Quantitative structure–activity relationship model for prediction study of corrosion inhibition efficiency using two‐stage sparse multiple linear regression

A new quantitative structure–activity relationship (QSAR) of the inhibition of mild steel corrosion in 1 M hydrochloric acid using furan derivatives was developed by proposing two‐stage sparse multiple linear regression. The sparse multiple linear regression using ridge penalty and sparse multiple linear regression using elastic net (SMLRE) were used to develop the QSAR model. The results show that the SMLRE‐based model possesses high predictive power compared with sparse multiple linear regression using ridge penalty‐based model according to the mean‐squared errors for both training and test datasets, leave‐one‐out internal validation (Q²_int = 0.98), and external validation (Q²_ext = 0.95). In addition, the results of applicability domain assessment using the leverage approach reveal a reliable and robust SMLRE‐based model. In conclusion, the developed QSAR model using SMLRE can be efficiently used in the studies of corrosion inhibition efficiency. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A theoretical analysis of a new second order finite volume approximation based on a low-order scheme using general admissible spatial meshes for the one dimensional wave equation

This paper details our note [6] and it is an extension of our previous works  and  which dealt with first order (both in time and space) and second order time accurate (second order in time and first order in space) implicit finite volume schemes for second order hyperbolic equations with Dirichlet boundary conditions on general nonconforming multidimensional spatial meshes introduced recently in [14]. We aim in this work (and some forthcoming studies) to get higher order (both in time and space) finite volume approximations for the exact solution of hyperbolic equations using the class of spatial generic meshes introduced recently in [14] on low order schemes from which the matrices used to compute the discrete solutions are sparse. We focus in the present contribution on the one dimensional wave equation and on one of its implicit finite volume schemes described in [4]. The implicit finite volume scheme approximating the one dimensional wave equation we consider (hereafter referred to as the basic finite volume scheme) yields linear systems to be solved successively. The matrices involved in these linear systems are tridiagonal, symmetric and definite positive. The finite volume approximate solution of the basic finite volume scheme is of order h+k$h+k$, where h (resp. k  ) is the mesh size of the spatial (resp. time) discretization. We construct a new finite volume approximation of order (h+k)²${(h+k)}^2$ in several discrete norms which allow us to get approximations of order two for the exact solution and its first derivatives. This new high-order approximation can be computed using linear systems whose matrices are the same ones used to compute the discrete solution of the basic finite volume scheme while the right hand sides are corrected. The construction of these right hand sides includes the approximation of some high order spatial derivatives of the exact solution. The computation of the approximation of these high order spatial derivatives can be performed using the same matrices stated above with another two tridiagonal matrices. The manner by which this new high-order approximation is constructed can be repeated to compute successively finite volume approximations of arbitrary order using the same matrices stated above. These high-order approximations can be obtained on any one dimensional admissible finite volume mesh in the sense of [13] without any condition. To reach the above results, a theoretical framework is developed and some numerical examples supporting the theory are presented. Some of the tools of this framework are new and interesting and they are stated in the one space dimension but they can be extended to several space dimensions. In particular a new and useful a prior estimate for a suitable discrete problem is developed and proved. The proof of this a prior estimate result is based essentially on the decomposition of the solution of the discrete problem into the solutions of two suitable discrete problems. A new technique is used in order to get a convenient finite volume approximation whose discrete time derivatives of order up to order two are also converging towards the solution of the wave equation and their corresponding time derivatives.     

1,3-Dipolar cycloaddition of 1H-pyrazinium-3-olate and N1- and C-methyl substituted pyrazinium-3-olates with methyl acrylate: a density functional theory study

A DFT study of the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of methyl acrylate to 1H-pyrazinium-3-olate and N1- and C-methyl substituted pyrazinium-3-olates, in the gas phase and in THF, has been carried out at the B3LYP/6-31G(d) level. Two stereoisomeric pathways, endo and exo, and two regioisomeric channels, 2-oxo-3,8-diazabicyclo[3.2.1]octane-6-ester and 7-ester products, have been considered. Thermodynamic and kinetic parameters calculated at room temperature have been analyzed. The regioselectivity has been interpreted using reactivity indices. It is generally found that the exo pathway is preferred and the formation of the 6-esters is dominant. The theoretical data obtained for the cycloaddition reaction of 1,5-dimethylpyrazinium-3-olate with methyl acrylate are consistent with the literature where the 6-exo regioisomer is formed as the major cycloadduct.     

Metal complexes of azo compounds derived from 4-acetamidophenol and substituted aniline

The Ni(II) and Cu(II) complexes of four azo compounds (H₂L^1–4), namely, 2-(p-X-phenylazo)-4-acetamidophenol (X = OCH₃, NO₂, Br, and H for H₂L¹, H₂L², H₂L³, and H₂L⁴, respectively) were prepared and characterized on the basis of their analytical, spectroscopic, magnetic, and conductance data. The isolated complexes are found to have the general formulae [M(HL^1–4)Cl(H₂O)₃] (M = Ni(II) and Cu(II)). The chelates are found to have octahedral structure. The infrared spectra show that H₂L^1–4 ligands are coordinated to the metal ions in a uninegative bidentate manner, with NO donor sites of the azo N and the deprotonated phenolic O. The ligands and their chelates are subjected to thermal analysis. The biological activity of the synthesized ligands and their metal complexes also are screened against the adult Tribolium confusum mortality. They showed remarkable biological activity.     

Microtitrimetry by controlled current potentiometric titration

The classical methods of titration require large volumes of chemicals. Microtritimetry is the method of choice since it utilizes small quantities of chemicals and yields less waste compared to other conventional methods. Thus it benefits both the analytical chemists and the environment. In this communication, microtitrimetry is performed by employing the technique of differential electrolytic potentiometry for the location of the end point. Oxidation-reduction titration using platinum electrodes is described. For the first time the endpoint for a sample of 1.0 μL of 0.10 M Fe(II) has been located by titration using a solution of Ce(IV). The optimum conditions such as volume of cerium ammonium sulfate added, current applied to polarize the electrodes in case of dc controlled current potentiometric titration (CCPT). The effect of changing the percentage bias of the square wave used to polarize the electrodes on the differential peak in case of ac CCPT has been investigated. The precision of this microtitrimetric method is also reported.     

Analytical formulations of image forces on dislocations with surface stress in nanowires and nanorods

The interaction between dislocations and surfaces is usually characterized by image forces. Most analytical solutions to image forces could be found in literatures for two-dimensional (2D) solids with or without the consideration of surface stress. This work provides alternative analytical formulations of image forces for nanowires which are in more flexible forms compared with the infinite power series solutions from complex variable method. Moreover, this work proposes analytical formulations of image forces for nanorods (3D) by approximating the 3D shape effect as a height-dependent shape function, which is obtained through curve fitting of the finite element results of image forces without surface stress. The results of nanowires are demonstrated to be acceptable compared with the classical solution and complex variable method. More importantly, the analytical formulation of nanorods has not been found in other literatures so far. This work could contribute to nanostructure design and provide guidance for the fabrication of high quality nanostructures.