Monitoring the oleuropein content of olive leaves and fruits using ultrasound‐ and salt‐assisted liquid–liquid extraction optimized by response surface methodology and high‐performance liquid chromatography

A novel and rapid ultrasound‐ and salt‐assisted liquid–liquid extraction coupled with high‐performance liquid chromatography has been optimized by response surface methodology for the determination of oleuropein from olive leaves. Box–Behnken design was used for optimizing the main parameters including ultrasound time (A), pH (B), salt concentration (C), and volume of miscible organic solvent (D). In this technique, a mixture of plant sample and extraction solvent was subjected to ultrasound waves. After ultrasound‐assisted extraction, phase separation was performed by the addition of salt to the liquid phase. The optimal conditions for the highest extraction yield of oleuropein were ultrasound time, 30 min; volume of organic solvent, 2.5 mL; salt concentration, 25% w/v; and sample pH, 4. Experimental data were fitted with a quadratic model. Analysis of variance results show that BC interaction, A², B², C², and D² are significant model terms. Unlike the conventional extraction methods for plant extracts, no evaporation and reconstitution operations were needed in the proposed technique.     

Novel optical polarizer design based on metasurface nano aperture for biological sensing in mid-infrared regime

Since Metasurfaces are playing important roles in optical devices such as optical polarizers and detectors, in this article, we have proposed a novel shape of nano aperture antenna for mid-infrared applications such as bio-sensing and other potential optical applications based on plasmonic characteristic of the gold layer over the SiN substrate. The transmittance tensor is obtained for vertical and horizontal linear polarization and base on boundary condition of the metasurface, the circular polarizations are extracted which are confirmed by the electric field distributions. We have shown by the parametric studies that the phase difference is altered by the gap and slot width and so with the dimension modification, we are able to achieve circular polarizer in the optical range. The biological materials with a thickness of 80 nm have then been placed over the metasurface layer and the figures of merits have been obtained. We have revealed that when the circular polarization is osculated to the metasurface at a special frequency the linear polarization is obtained in the other side of the metasurface. The nano aperture has been modeled and the finite difference time domain calculations are performed in CST Microwave Studio as a commercial full wave simulation software.     

Roots of C*-algebra elements under numerical range condition

Let be a C*-algebra with unit 1. For each a ∈ , the C*-algebra numerical range is defined by V(a) = {φ(a): φ ∈ , φ ≥ 0,φ(1) = 1}. In a 2003 paper Li, Rodman and Spitkovsky have found the ω-th roots of elements in C*-algebra under a numerical range condition, when ω ∈ [1,∞). In this paper, we will give a short proof of the above result in the case of ω is a positive integer number. We also give a simple proof for ω-th root of an element a ∈ , when ω ∈ [1,∞) and V(a)∩ {z ∈ ℂ: z ≤ 0} = . The first author was supported by the Shiraz university Research Council Grant No. 86-GRSC-32.     

Two-Dimensional Legendre Wavelets for Solving Time-Fractional Telegraph Equation

In this paper, we develop an accurate and efficient Legendre wavelets method for numerical solution of the well known time-fractional telegraph equation. In the proposed method we have employed both of the operational matrices of fractional integration and differentiation to get numerical solution of the time-telegraph equation. The power of this manageable method is confirmed. Moreover, the use of Legendre wavelet is found to be accurate, simple and fast.     

Composition and in vitro antibacterial activity of essential oils from four Satureja species growing in Iran

The composition and in?vitro antibacterial activity of essential oils from four Satureja species (S. bachtiarica, S. khuzistanica, S. mutica and S. rechingeri) growing in Iran were determined. According to the results of GC-FID and GC-MS analysis, all oil samples were principally composed of phenolic constituents (carvacrol and/or thymol) with the percentages ranging from 41.2% (S. bachtiarica) to 77.7% (S. rechingeri). Determining antibacterial activities by the disc diffusion method against two Gram-positive and two Gram-negative bacteria revealed the maximum activity against Bacillus cereus with a range of minimum inhibitory concentration values from 0.25 to 1?mg?mL(-1) and minimum bactericidal concentration values from 0.5 to 1?mg?mL(-1). The oils of S. khuzistanica and S. rechingeri appeared to be more active in general than those of other species. In conclusion, the essential oils of studied Satureja species have the potential to be considered as alternatives for synthetic food preservatives.     

Nonlinear Analysis and Optimum Design of Guyed Masts

In this paper the nonlinear analysis and design optimization of guyed masts is addressed. The mast is modeled as a 3D truss and is supported by catenary cable elements that have nonlinear elastic behavior. For nonlinear static analysis, an innovative procedure is proposed that divides the structure into linear and nonlinear parts and analyzes them separately. The proposed method satisfies the equilibrium and compatibility by establishing and solution of a set of nonlinear equations. The optimization problem employs the sizes of members, initial cable tensions and the positions of anchor on the ground and tie level of cables on the mast as design variables. To facilitate the optimization solution, a compatible sensitivity analysis procedure is proposed. Sensitivities of objective function, displacement and strength constraints in the mast and cables, subjected to a variety of load combinations including dead, wind and ice loads are calculated. Numerical examples are provided to show the nonlinear analysis procedure and the applicability of the algorithm to optimum design of practical guyed masts.     

A novel one-pot reductive amination of aldehydes and ketones with lithium perchlorate and zirconium borohydride-piperazine complexes

A novel, one-pot reductive mono-alkylation method of amines (primary and secondary), 1,2-phenylenediamine, O-trimethylsilylhydroxylamine, and N,N-dimethylhydrazine was developed using LiClO₄ (5 mol %) as a source for in situ generation of imine, iminium ion, oxime, and hydrazone, and zirconium borohydride-piperazine complex as reducing agent. This condition is especially useful for situations in which it is not practical to use the amine in excess (as is typically the case under acid-catalyzed conditions) or for acid-sensitive compounds.     

Tungstate supported mesoporous silica SBA‐15 with imidazolium framework as a hybrid nanocatalyst for selective oxidation of sulfides in the presence of hydrogen peroxide

In this work, a new heterogeneous catalyst (SBA‐15/Im/WO₄^2?) was prepared, and then its performance in the oxidation of organic sulfides was studied (using 30% H₂O₂ as green oxidant under neutral reaction conditions). This organic–inorganic hybrid mesoporous material was characterized by various techniques, such as FT‐IR, inductively coupled plasma, X‐ray powder diffraction, high‐resolution‐transmission electron microscopy, N₂ adsorption–desorption and thermogravimetric analysis. The catalyst was also applied to the selective oxidation of various sulfides. The hybrid catalyst was easily recovered, and was very stable and retained good activity for at least five successive runs without any additional activation. Moreover, there was no remarkable decrease in the activity and selectivity of the catalyst. The products could be easily isolated by just removing the solvent after filtering the catalyst. The yields of the catalytic productions through this catalyst were in the range from 75% to 97%.     

Oxidative amidation of benzyl alcohol,benzaldhyde, benzoic acid styrene and phenyl acetylene catalyzed by ordered mesoporous HKUST‐1‐Cu: Effect of surface area on oxidative amidation reaction

HKUST‐1‐Cu synthesized in the presence and absence of P‐123 trough solvotermal method. After characterization using some different microscopic and spectroscopic techniques such as XRD, FT‐IR, SEM, ICP, BET and TEM its catalytic activity was investigated in the oxidative coupling of benzyl alcohol, benzaldhyde, benzoic acid, styrene and phenyl acetylene with N,N‐dialkylformamides for the preparation of N,N‐dimethylformamides. Different derivatives of tertiary amides were synthesized in moderate to good yields in the presence of just ~0.28 mol% of this catalytic system. Reusability of the synthesized catalysts was examined and catalysts were reusable for 8 times without significant decrease in optimized conditions.     

Solvent-Free Conditions as an Eco-Friendly Strategy for Synthesis of Organophosphorus Compounds

A series of diverse NH- and CH-acids are used for a one-pot synthesis of stable phosphorus ylides and 1,4-diionic organophosphorus compounds by trapping of the zwitterionic intermediate from the reaction between triphenylphosphine and dialkyl acetylenedicarboxylates under solvent-free conditions. The structural geometry for one of the products was confirmed by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis.

Supplemental materials are available for this article. Go to the publisher's online edition of Phosphorus, Sulfur, and Silicon and the Related Elements to view the free supplemental file.