Dynamics of a system comprising a pre-stressed orthotropic layer and pre-stressed orthotropic half-plane under the action of a moving load

This paper investigates the dynamic response to a moving load of a system comprising an initially stressed covering layer and initially stressed half-plane, within the scope of the piecewise-homogeneous body model utilizing three-dimensional linearized wave propagation theory in the initially stressed body. It was assumed that the materials of the layer and half-plane are anisotropic (orthotropic), and that the velocity of the line-located moving load is constant as it acts on the free face of the covering layer. The investigations were made for a two-dimensional problem (plane-strain state) under subsonic velocity of the moving load for complete and incomplete contact conditions. Corresponding numerical results were obtained for the stiffer layer and soft half-plane system in which the modulus of elasticity of the covering layer material (for the moving direction of the load) is greater than that of the half-plane material, which was assumed to be isotropic. Numerical results are presented and discussed for the critical velocity and stress distribution for various values of the problem parameters. In particular, it was established that, the critical velocity of the moving load is controlled mainly with a Rayleigh wave speed of a half-plane material and the initial stretching of the covering layer causes to increase these values.     

Schatten class Hankel and $$\overline{\partial }$$ ∂ ¯ -Neumann operators on pseudoconvex domains in $$\mathbb {C}^{n}$$ C n

Monatshefte für Mathematik - Let $$\Omega $$ be a $$C^2$$ -smooth bounded pseudoconvex domain in $$\mathbb {C}^n$$ for $$n\ge 2$$ and let $$\varphi $$ be a holomorphic function on $$\Omega $$...     

Continuity of lower envelopes

The purpose of the paper is to give a complete characterization of the continuity of lower envelopes in the infinite dimensional spaces. The characterization of upper or lower semicontinuity of envelopes, when stated in the language of multifunctions, has a dual geometric character which depends on the upper or lower semicontinuity of the corresponding multifunction.     

Pharmacological Effects of Grifolin: Focusing on Anticancer Mechanisms

Grifolin is a volatile compound contained in essential oils of several medicinal plants. Several studies show that this substance has been the subject of numerous pharmacological investigations, which have yielded interesting results. Grifolin demonstrated beneficial effects for health via its multiple pharmacological activities. It has anti-microbial properties against bacteria, fungi, and parasites. In addition, grifolin exhibited remarkable anti-cancer effects on different human cancer cells. The anticancer action of this molecule is related to its ability to act at cellular and molecular levels on different checkpoints controlling the signaling pathways of human cancer cell lines. Grifolin can induce apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, autophagy, and senescence in these cells. Despite its major pharmacological properties, grifolin has only been investigated in vitro and in vivo. Therefore, further investigations concerning pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic tests are required for any possible pharmaceutical application of this substance. Moreover, toxicological tests and other investigations involving humans as a study model are required to validate the safety and clinical applications of grifolin.     

Selectivity Tuning by Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents (NADESs) for Extraction of Bioactive Compounds from Cytinus hypocistis—Studies of Antioxidative,Enzyme-Inhibitive Properties and LC-MS Profiles

In the present study, the extracts of Cytinus hypocistis (L.) L using both traditional solvents (hexane, ethyl acetate, dichloromethane, ethanol, ethanol/water, and water) and natural deep eutectic solvents (NADESs) were investigated in terms of their total polyphenolic contents and antioxidant and enzyme-inhibitive properties. The extracts were found to possess total phenolic and total flavonoid contents in the ranges of 26.47–186.13 mg GAE/g and 0.68–12.55 mg RE/g, respectively. Higher total phenolic contents were obtained for NADES extracts. Compositional differences were reported in relation to antioxidant potential studied by several assays (DPPH: 70.19–939.35 mg TE/g, ABTS: 172.56–4026.50 mg TE/g; CUPRAC: 97.41–1730.38 mg TE/g, FRAP: 84.11–1534.85 mg TE/g). Application of NADESs (choline chloride—urea 1:2, a so-called Reline) allowed one to obtain the highest number of extracts having antioxidant potential in the radical scavenging and reducing assays. NADES-B (protonated by HCl L-proline-xylitol 5:1) was the only extractant from the studied solvents that isolated a specific fraction without chelating activity. Reline extract exhibited the highest acetylcholinesterase inhibition compared to NADES-B and NADES-C (protonated by H₂SO₄ L-proline-xylitol 5:1) extracts, which showed no inhibition. The NADES extracts were observed to have higher tyrosinase inhibitory properties compared to extracts obtained by traditional organic solvents. Furthermore, the NADES extracts were relatively better inhibitors of the diabetic enzymes. These findings provided an interesting comparison in terms of total polyphenolic content yields, antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory properties (cholinesterase, amylase, glucosidase, and tyrosinase) between traditional solvent extracts and NADES extracts, used as an alternative. While the organic solvents showed better antioxidant activity, the NADES extracts were found to have some other improved properties, such as higher total phenolic content and enzyme-inhibiting properties, suggesting functional prospects for their use in phytonutrient extraction and fractionation. The obtained results could also be used to give a broad overview of the different biological potentials of C. hypocistis.     

Effect of External Induced Convection on Heat Transfer at Water Boiling

Physics of Atomic Nuclei - In this paper, we experimentally and theoretically study the effect of external induced convection on heat transfer from horizontal heaters under conditions of pool...     

Computer simulations of two-dimensional trifunctional bimodal networks

Transformation of mean chain dimensions in a bimodal Gaussian network is analyzed by generating a two-dimensional trifunctional network using Monte Carlo technique and deforming it, subject to the balance of mean forces at each junction. Instantaneous fluctuations in chain dimensions are not considered in the simulations. The problem is, therefore, equivalent to the analysis of a two-dimensional deterministic system of two sets, short and long, of linear springs, joined at trifunctional junctions. The molecular deformation of network chains, the distribution of orientation of chain vectors and the reduced stresses are studied as a function of extension ratio and network topology.     

New Biological and Chemical Evidences of Two Lamiaceae Species (Thymbra capitata and Thymus sipyleus subsp. rosulans): In Vitro,In Silico and Ex Vivo Approaches

In this study, the methanolic and infusion extracts of two species, Thymbra capitata and Thymus sipyleus subsp. rosulans, were tested for their chemical composition and biological abilities (antioxidant, enzyme inhibitory and anti-inflammatory effects). The extracts yielded total phenolic and flavonoid contents in the range of 83.43–127.52 mg GAE/g and 9.41–46.34 mg RE/g, respectively. HPLC analysis revealed rosmarinic acid to be a major component of the studied extracts (15.85–26.43%). The best ABTS radical scavenging ability was observed in the methanol extract of T. capitata with 379.11 mg TE/g, followed by in the methanol extract of T. sipylus (360.93 mg TE/g). In the CUPRAC assay, the highest reducing ability was also found in the methanol extract of T. capitata with 802.22 mg TE/g. The phosphomolybdenum ability ranged from 2.39 to 3.61 mmol TE/g. In terms of tyrosinase inhibitory effects, the tested methanol extracts (83.18–89.66 mg KAE/g) were higher than the tested water extracts (18.74–19.11 mg KAE/g). Regarding the BChE inhibitory effects, the methanol extracts were active on the enzyme while the water extracts showed no inhibitory effect on it. Overall, the methanolic extracts showed better enzyme inhibition compared to the infusion extracts. Molecular docking also showed the selected exhibited potential binding affinities with all enzymes, with a preference for cholinesterases. Additionally, the extracts were effective in attenuating the LPS-induced increase in COX-2 and IL-6 gene expression in isolated colon, thus indicating promising anti-inflammatory effects. The preliminary results of this study suggest that these species are good natural sources of antioxidants and also provide some scope as enzyme inhibitors, most likely due to their bioactive contents such as phenolic acids, and thus can be exploited for different applications related to health promotion and disease prevention.     

Precision glycopolymers and their interactions with lectins

Glycopolymers are synthetic polymers with carbohydrate groups attached and have a great potential to be utilized in drug delivery applications and nanomedicines as a result of their recognition properties. Sugar code is running in living entities with extreme precision and every small difference in the oligosaccharide structure significantly affects the recognition by lectins. Therefore, controlling the sequence of sugars along the polymer backbone is vital to achieve selective lectin binding and cell signalling. The preparation of sequence controlled glycopolymers has recently been in the focus of several research groups and the cons and pros of three recently published approaches are discussed in this minireview.