Effects of different carbon precursors on synthesis of multiwall carbon nanotubes: Purification and Functionalization

Cyclohexanol and xylene were used as carbon precursors, for synthesis of multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) arrays in a CVD system at temperature of 750 °C, using nitrogen as carrier gas and ferrocene as catalyst. Different characterization methods were employed to compare the MWCNTs structure synthesized by these two precursors. All scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and Raman spectroscopy results illustrated that using cyclohexanol could significantly reduce formation of amorphous carbon and catalyst particles in the as-grown CNTs. The less amorphous carbon can be attributed to in situ oxidation in presence of oxygen atom of cyclohexanol. Characterizations showed that MWCNTs with high purity could be obtained using cyclohexanol as carbon precursor. The as-grown MWCNTs were purified by oxidation and acid treatment. Characterization of the purified MWCNTs using HNO₃/H₂SO₄ (1/3 or 1/1), 8 M HCl or 8 M HNO₃ was carried out. The results showed that 8 M HNO₃ could be considered as the best chemical to obtain more pure MWCNTs, less amorphous and metal particles and less damaged MWCNTs. The Raman spectroscopy results demonstrated that HNO₃/H₂SO₄ (1/3) treatment could more disorder the MWCNTs structure and this was attributed to the bigger destroying effect of this acid treatment. Furthermore, the TEM analysis of MWCNTs before and after acid treatment revealed that acid treatment could remove encapsulated catalyst particles. The FTIR analysis illustrated that purification of the MWCNTs with nitric acid could connect the functional groups onto the outer surface of MWCNTs and this resulted in more dispersion of the MWCNTs in water.     

Detection of Helicobacter pylori with a nanobiosensor based on fluorescence resonance energy transfer using CdTe quantum dots

We report on a method for the sensitive determination of Helicobacter that is based on fluorescence resonance energy transfer using two oligonucleotide probes labeled with CdTe quantum dots (QDs) and 5-carboxytetramethylrhodamine (Tamra) respectively. QDs labeled with an amino-modified first oligonucleotide, and a Tamra-labeled second oligonucleotide were added to the DNA targets upon which hybridization occurred. The resulting assembly brings the Tamra fluorophore (the acceptor) and the QDs (the donor) into close proximity and causes fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) to occur upon photoexcitation of the donor. In the absence of target DNA, on the other hand, the probes are not ligated, and no emission by the Tamra fluorophore is produced due to the lack of FRET. The feasibility of the method was demonstrated by the detection of a synthetic 210-mer nucleotide derived from Helicobacter on a nanomolar level. This homogeneous DNA detection scheme is simple, rapid and efficient, does not require excessive washing and separation steps, and is likely to be useful for the construction of a nanobiosensor for Helicobacter species.

A fractional order HIV/AIDS model based on the effect of screening of unaware infectives

In this paper, a fractional order model for the spread of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is proposed to study the effect of screening of unaware infected individuals on the spread of the HIV virus. For this purpose, local asymptotic stability analysis of the disease‐free equilibrium is investigated. In addition, the model is studied for different values of the fractional order to show the relation between the variations of the reproduction number and the order of the proposed model. Finally, numerical solutions are simulated by using a predictor‐corrector method to illustrate the dynamics between susceptible individuals and unaware infected individuals.     

Targeted Therapy of B7 Family Checkpoints as an Innovative Approach to Overcome Cancer Therapy Resistance: A Review from Chemotherapy to Immunotherapy

It is estimated that there were 18.1 million cancer cases worldwide in 2018, with about 9 million deaths. Proper diagnosis of cancer is essential for its effective treatment because each type of cancer requires a specific treatment procedure. Cancer therapy includes one or more approaches such as surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy. In recent years, immunotherapy has received much attention and immune checkpoint molecules have been used to treat several cancers. These molecules are involved in regulating the activity of T lymphocytes. Accumulated evidence shows that targeting immune checkpoint regulators like PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA-4 are significantly useful in treating cancers. According to studies, these molecules also have pivotal roles in the chemoresistance of cancer cells. Considering these findings, the combination of immunotherapy and chemotherapy can help to treat cancer with a more efficient approach. Among immune checkpoint molecules, the B7 family checkpoints have been studied in various cancer types such as breast cancer, myeloma, and lymphoma. In these cancers, they cause the cells to become resistant to the chemotherapeutic agents. Discovering the exact signaling pathways and selective targeting of these checkpoint molecules may provide a promising avenue to overcome cancer development and therapy resistance. Highlights: (1) The development of resistance to cancer chemotherapy or immunotherapy is the main obstacle to improving the outcome of these anti-cancer therapies. (2) Recent investigations have described the involvement of immune checkpoint molecules in the development of cancer therapy resistance. (3) In the present study, the molecular participation of the B7 immune checkpoint family in anticancer therapies has been highlighted. (4) Targeting these immune checkpoint molecules may be considered an efficient approach to overcoming this obstacle.     

Synthesis of functionalized iminolactones via an isocyanide-based three-component reaction

A three-component reaction of the zwitterions generated from isocyanides and dialkyl acetylenedicarboxylate with 1-(4-bromophenyl)-2-thiocyanatoethanone or 1-phenyl-2-thiocyanatoethanone is described. The reaction afforded the corresponding special type of functionalized iminolactone derivatives in good yields at room temperature without using a catalyst.     

Ab Initio Calculations of the Conformational Preferences of 1,3-Oxathiane S-Oxide and its Analogs Containing S and SE Atoms—Evidence for Stereoelectronic Interactions Associated with the Anomeric Effects

Abstract

Stereoelectronic interactions associated with the AE and also the conformational and structural properties of 1,3-oxathiane S-oxide (1), 1,3-dithiane S-oxide (2), 1,3-thiaselenane S-oxide (3), 1,3-oxaselenane Se-oxide (4), 1,3-thiaselenane Se-oxide (5), and 1,3-diselenane Se-oxide (6) were investigated using quantum mechanical methods. These compounds were fully optimized at the B3LYP/6 – 311 + G** and HF/6 – 311 + G** levels of theory. The Gibbs Free Energy, Enthalpy, and Entropy differences (i.e., ΔG, ΔH, and ΔS) between the axial and equatorial conformations were calculated at the B3LYP/6 – 311 + G** and HF/6 – 311 + G** levels of theory. The decrease of the AE is corresponding to the decreases of calculated Δ(G _ax – G _eq) value of the above mentioned compounds. The calculated AE values are more significant for the justification of the conformational dominances of the compounds than steric effects. In this work, the relations between the Anomeric Effects, donor and acceptor orbital energies, occupancies, structural parameters, dipole–dipole interactions, and conformational behavior of the compounds have been studied.     

Simultaneous Determination of Trace Zinc and Cadmium by Anodic Stripping Voltammetry Using a Polymeric Film Nanoparticle Self‐Assembled Electrode

A promising modified electrode was fabricated by polymerization a conductive polymer film of dipicolinic acid (DPA) onto gold nanoparticle (AuNP)‐cysteine‐gold electrode (Au). The morphology of poly(DPA)‐AuNP‐Au electrode was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). This chemically modified electrode was used for electrochemical determination of cadmium and zinc in aqueous media using differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry. The result showed that the modified electrode could clearly resolve the anodic stripping peaks of zinc and cadmium. The linear analytical curves were obtained in the ranges of 0.020–25.0 and 0.045–17.0 µM for zinc and cadmium respectively. The limit of detections (S/N=3) were 0.008 µM for zinc and 0.015 µM for cadmium.     

Solubility of bosentan in {propylene glycol + water} mixtures at various temperatures: experimental data and mathematical modelling

Solubility measurements were performed for bosentan (BST) in binary mixtures of propylene glycol (PG) and water at atmospheric pressure within the temperature range, T = 293.2 – 313.2 K by employing a shake-flask method. Generated solubility data were correlated with Jouyban-Acree-van’t Hoff model and the accuracies of the predicted solubilities and model performance were illustrated by mean relative deviations (MRD). Furthermore, the apparent thermodynamic properties of BST dissolving in all the mixed solvents were calculated, and the obtained results show that the dissolution process is endothermic. By using the inverse Kirkwood–Buff integrals, it was observed that BST is preferentially solvated by water in water-rich solvent mixtures and preferentially solvated by PG (as a cosolvent) in the composition range of 0.20 < x₁ < 1.00 at 298.2 K.     

Matrices based on meso antibacterial framework

In this paper, the synthesis of three types of porous materials (PMs) (porous Fe₃O₄, MIL-101 metal-organic framework (MOF), and MCM-41 mesoporous silica) by hydrothermal method was performed. The incorporation of Ag nanoparticles (Ag NPs) was carried out after the synthesis reaction of supports in MCM-41 and MIL-101 MOF. Ag core@ porous Fe₃O₄ core–shell system was prepared via a one-pot hydrothermal method. Ag-MIL-101 was obtained using Urtica dioica leaf extract as the green solvent and reducing agent. The antibacterial activity of Ag-PM nanocomposites (NCs) was investigated on both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. The size of the silver NPs was determined to be 12 and 30 nm in MCM-41 and MIL-101 MOF, respectively. The diameter of Ag core in Ag@Fe₃O₄ shell was ~135 nm. The antibacterial activity of Ag-PMs was in the order Ag-MCM-41 > Ag-MIL-101 > Ag core@Fe₃O₄ shell. The loading percent of Ag NPs in MCM-41 (84%) was more than that in MIL-101 (53%) and Fe₃O₄ (31%). The release of Ag⁺ ions from Ag-MCM-41, Ag-MIL-101, and Ag@Fe₃O₄ NCs was 46, 2, and 1 ppm, respectively. The release of the Ag⁺ ions and, consequently, the antibacterial activity of NCs depend on the uniform distribution, particles size, and the absence of aggregation of Ag NPs in PMs.     

Free-edge effects in a cylindrical sandwich panel with a flexible core and laminated composite face sheets

In the present study, the static response of cylindrical sandwich panels with a flexible core is investigated. The face sheets are considered as composite laminates with a cross-ply lay-up and the core as a flexible elastic medium. The flexibility of the low-strength core leads to high stress concentrations in terms of peeling stresses between the face sheets and the core at edges of the sandwich panel. To take into account the compressibility of the core and to determine the free-edge stresses of sandwich structures accurately, the Reddy layerwise theory (LWT) is used in this paper. The paper outlines the mathematical formulation, along with a numerical study, of a cylindrical sandwich panel with two simply supported and two free edges under a transverse load. The formulation includes the derivation of field equations along with boundary conditions. A Levy-type solution procedure is performed to determine the distributions of stresses and strains. In the numerical study, first a comparison is made with results from the commercial finite-element software ANSYS to verify the LWT results. Finally, a parametric study is conducted, and the effect caused by varying different parameters, such as the radii of curvature and the core to face sheet thickness ratio, on the results are investigated. The results obtained demonstrate a good agreement between LWT and FEM solutions and show increasing interlaminar stresses in the free edge of the sandwich panel