Green Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles Using Arachis hypogaea (Ground Nut) Root Extract for Antibacterial and Clinical Applications

The present study focused on the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using Arachis hypogaea (ground nut) root extract for the antibacterial and clinical application. The presence of major phytochemical compounds are found to be 2H-Pyaran,2,5-diethenyltetrahydro, Didodecyl phthalate, Decanoic acid, Tetradecanoic acid, Bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, Dodecanoic acid, Phosphonic acid, 2-(4-Methoxyphenyl)-5-(4-methoxynaphthyl) thiophene and Methyl 2-(N-Benzylimino)-4-chloro-3,3-dimethylbutanoate by GC–MS. Nanoparticles synthesis is confirmed by UV–Vis analysis by observing the maximum absorption spectrum at 450 nm. XRD and SEM–EDX results reveals the synthesized nanoparticles are cubic crystalline with agglomerated particles of silver oxide with biomolecules present around it. TEM images clearly shows that the biosynthesized nanoparticles are mostly spherical and irregular shaped with an average particles size of 30 nm. Highest susceptibility pattern of silver nanoparticle against Enterococcus sp. (35 ± 0.4 mm) which followed by Pseudomonas sp. (33 mm) and Staphylococcus aureus (29 mm). Green synthesized nanoparticles are coated over the commercially available clinical band aid cloth by dip coating method. Silver nanoparticle incorporated band aid cloth showed good antibacterial activity against the harmful bacteria which usually cause infection and interfere during wound healing. Our findings revealed that green nanoparticle has a good antibacterial action against harmful bacteria and showed good response for efficient clinical application.     

Hindered Rotation in Some Organic Dithiocarbamates

Abstract

Hindered rotation in alkyldithiocarbamates of the type RR′NC(= S)SR″ [R, R′, R″ = Me, Me, Et (1); PhCH₂, Me, Et (2); PhCH₂, H, Et (3); PhCH₂, H, Me (4) and O(CH₂CH₂)₂, Et (5)′ has been investigated using variable-temperature ¹H NMR spectroscopy in CDCl₃, C₆D₆, and DMSO-d₆ solutions. Rotational parameters were calculated by the coalescence temperature method. Nitrogen substituent effects on the free energy of activation and on the equilibrium constant of unsymmetrical conformers at room temperature are discussed.     

Modeling of tsunami generation and propagation by a spreading curvilinear seismic faulting in linearized shallow-water wave theory

The processes of tsunami evolution during its generation in search for possible amplification mechanisms resulting from unilateral spreading of the sea floor uplift is investigated. We study the nature of the tsunami build up and propagation during and after realistic curvilinear source models represented by a slowly uplift faulting and a spreading slip-fault model. The models are used to study the tsunami amplitude amplification as a function of the spreading velocity and rise time. Tsunami waveforms within the frame of the linearized shallow-water theory for constant water depth are analyzed analytically by transform methods (Laplace in time and Fourier in space) for the movable source models. We analyzed the normalized peak amplitude as a function of the propagated uplift length, width and the average depth of the ocean along the propagation path.     

Radioactivity of sand,groundwater and wild plants in northeast Sinai,Egypt

The radioactivity levels are poorly studied in non-coastal arid regions. For this reason, 38 locations covering an area of about 350 km² in northeast Sinai, Egypt, were investigated by γ-ray spectroscopy. Moderately significant correlations among ²³⁸U, ²³⁴Th, and ²²⁶Ra isotopes and low significant correlations between the concentrations of ²³⁸U-series and ²³²Th in sand were obtained. No evidence of correlation was found between the concentrations of radioisotopes and pH, grain size, total organic matter content, bicarbonate or calcium carbonate concentrations of the sand samples. The mean values of soil-to-plant transfer factor were 0.15, 0.18, 1.52 and 0.74 for ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th, ⁴⁰K, and ¹³⁷Cs, respectively. The range of concentrations of ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th, and ⁴⁰K in water samples collected from five wells were<0.4–0.16,<0.4–0.13, and<0.15–1.62 Bq l^?1, respectively. The mean absorbed dose rate in outdoor air at a height of 1 m above the ground surface for the sand samples was 19.4 nGy h^?1. The Ra_eq activities of the sands are lower than the recommended maximum value of 370 Bq kg^?1 criterion limit for building materials.     

Optimization of coronary whole-heart MRA free-breathing technique at 3 Tesla

Four different techniques for 3-T whole-heart coronary magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) using free-breathing three-dimensional segmented parallel imaging and adiabatic T2-preparation were assessed. Coronary MRA at 3 T is improved by shortening the acquisition window more than employing the highest spatial resolution. Double-oblique whole-heart acquisitions result in better overall image quality and allow for better delineation of the left anterior descending coronary artery. It is possible to attain shorter acquisition windows and a smaller voxel size at 3 T than previously reported at 1.5 T.     

Determination of polydextrose as dietary fiber in foods

Polydextrose (Litesse) provides physiological effects consistent with dietary fiber. However, AOAC methods for measuring total dietary fiber (TDF) in foods include an ethanol precipitation step in which polydextrose and similar carbohydrates are discarded and therefore not quantitated. This study describes a method developed to quantitate polydextrose in foods. The new method includes water extraction, centrifugal ultrafiltration, multienzyme hydrolysis, and anion exchange chromatography with electrochemical detection. Six foods were prepared with 4 levels of polydextrose to test the ruggedness of the method. Internal validation demonstrated the ruggedness of the method with recoveries ranging from 83 to 104% with an average of 95% (n = 24) and relative standard deviation of recoveries ranging from 0.7 to 13% with an average of 3.3% (n = 24). The value is added to that obtained for dietary fiber content of foods using the AOAC methods, to determine the TDF content of the food.     

Antimicrobial ZnO Nanoparticle–Doped Polyvinyl Alcohol/Pluronic Blends as Active Food Packaging Films

Today, plastic waste has been highlighted as one of the greatest threats to the environment. These environmental concerns and the increased necessity for safe food packaging have inspired scientists to focus on the development of active biodegradable materials. Herein, a novel poly(vinyl alcohol)/pluronic/ZnO nanocomposite film (PVA/PLUR/ZnO) is introduced as an active packaging material with enhanced antimicrobial activity. Gamma irradiation is used as a “green” route to prepare ZnO nanoparticles via a polymer pyrolysis method. The as-prepared ecofriendly ZnO nanoparticles are characterized and incorporated into the PVA/PLUR matrix in different concentrations. Transmission electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering measurements prove that ZnO nanoparticles have a mean particle size of 30 nm with a spherical-like morphology. Morphological and structural characterization confirm the successful incorporation of ZnO into the PVA/PLUR matrix, which in turn enhances the thermal and barrier properties of PVA/PLUR/ZnO nanocomposite films. On the other hand, the opacity of blends is increased. The PVA/PLUR/ZnO composites exhibit broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive, Gram-negative bacterial pathogens, and fungi, and the activity increases with increasing concentrations of ZnO nanoparticles. These results introduce PVA/PLUR/ZnO films as effective antimicrobial materials for active food-packaging applications.     

Non-linear vibrations of cantilever beams with feedback delays

A comprehensive investigation of the effect of feedback delays on the non-linear vibrations of a piezoelectrically actuated cantilever beam is presented. In the first part of this work, we examine the linear and non-linear free responses of a beam subjected to a delayed-acceleration feedback. We show that the trivial solution loses stability via a Hopf bifurcation leading to limit-cycle oscillations. We analyze the stability of the dynamic response in the postbifurcation, close to the stability boundaries by examining the nature of the Hopf bifurcation and away from the stability boundaries by using the method of harmonic balance and Floquet theory. We find that, increasing the gain for certain feedback delays may culminate in quasiperiodic and chaotic oscillations of the beam.In the second part, we analyze the effect of feedback delays on a beam subjected to a harmonic base excitations. We find that the nature of the forced response is largely defined by the stability of the trivial solutions of the unforced response. For stable trivial solutions (i.e., inside the stability boundaries of the trivial solutions), the homogeneous response emanating from the feedback diminishes, leaving only the particular solution resulting from the external excitation. In this case, delayed feedback acts as a vibration absorber. On the other hand, for unstable trivial solutions, the response contains two co-existing frequencies. Depending on the excitation amplitude and the commensurability of the delayed-response frequency to the excitation frequency, the response is either periodic or quasiperiodic.