The influence of the surface roughness on dielectric function of two-dimensional electron gas: a Lindhard model approach

Low field response function calculations have been performed on a two-dimensional electron gas with well-defined electron-surface roughness scattering. The Lindhard model was employed to compute the response function. In particular, detailed investigations were made on the system searching for an interplay between surface roughness with well-defined correlation function, (characterizes by asperity height and correlation length) spatial confinement and the dielectric function. We analyze to what extent the normal behavior and functionality of dielectric function of two-dimensional devices are modified by random scattering events caused by the contribution from the surface roughness. Results of the current work indicate that contribution of the surface roughness on scattering and absorption process could not be considered as an underestimating effect. We find, however, that functionality of the dielectric function seems to be quite independent of the particular roughness features.     

Podophyllotoxin extraction from Linum usitatissimum plant and its anticancer activity against HT‐29, A‐549 and MDA‐MB‐231 cell lines with and without the presence of gold nanoparticles

In recent years, gold nanoparticles (Au‐NPs) have been taken into consideration in nanomedicine due to their excellent biocompatibility, chemical stability and promising optical properties. In this research, podophyllotoxin conjugated with gold nanoparticles (Au‐NPs‐POT) was synthesized and the conjugation of POT with Au‐NPs was confirmed using scanning electron microscopy, mass spectrometry and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The anticancer effects of the product on preclinical models of lung, colon and breast cancers were investigated using MTT test. The analyses showed a direct dose–response relationship. It was found that higher concentrations of POT have more positive effects on the inhibition of cancer cell growth. At POT concentrations of 1, 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 15 and 20 ng ml^?1, approximately 50% of the growth of colorectal, lung and breast cancer cell lines was inhibited, while similar results were obtained in the presence of 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 μg ml^?1 Au‐NPs‐POT. Au‐NPs‐POT exhibited the lowest cytotoxicity due to the presence of POT. The anticancer feature of Au‐NPs‐POT proved the potential to develop better anticancer therapeutics and to open new avenues for treatment of cancers.     

Synthesis of CuS nanoparticles loaded on activated carbon composite for ultrasound‐assisted adsorption removal of dye pollutants: Process optimization using CCD‐RSM,equilibrium and kinetic studies

In this study, the CuS nanoparticles loaded on activated carbon (CuS‐NPs‐AC) composite was synthesized and then, characterized by XRD and FE‐SEM analyses. The prepared composite was used as a potential adsorbent for the simultaneous ultrasound‐assisted removal of Indigo Carmine (IC) and Safranin‐O (SO). The CuS‐NPs‐AC dose (0.01‐0.03 g), sonication time (1‐5 min), initial SO concentration (5‐15 mg L^‐1) and initial IC concentration (5‐15 mg L^‐1) as expectable effective parameters were studied by central composite design (CCD) under response surface methodology (RSM) to obtain an useful knowledge about the effect of simultaneous interaction between IC and SO on their removal percentage. The optimum SO and IC removal percentages were determined to be 98.24 and 97.15% at pH = 6, 0.03 g of the CuS‐NPs‐AC, 3 min sonication time, 12 and 10 mg L^‐1 of IC and SO. The values of coefficient of determination (R²) for SO and IC were 0.9608 and 0.9796, respectively, indicating the favorable fitness of the experimental data to the second order polynomial regression model. The isotherm data were well correlated with Freundlich model. The maximum monolayer adsorption capacities of 87.5 and 69.90 mg g^‐1 at room temperature for IC and SO in the investigated binary system expressed the high efficiency of the novel adsorbent for water cleanup within a short time. The investigation of correlation between time and rate of adsorption revealed that IC and SO adsorption onto the CuS‐NPs‐AC followed pseudo‐second‐order and intra‐particle diffusion simultaneously.     

Topical propolis improves wound healing in patients with diabetic foot ulcer: a randomized controlled trial

In this randomized controlled trial, diabetic patients with foot ulcers (Wagner grades 1 and 2) were randomly assigned to conventional therapies for diabetic foot ulcer plus topical propolis ointment (5%; twice daily) or conventional therapies alone. The process of ulcer healing was observed during 4 weeks and compared between the two groups regarding the size, erythema, exudates, white blood cell (WBC) count and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). The process of ulcer size reduction during the four-week period of study was significantly different between the groups. However, this difference was not significant between the third and fourth weeks. There was no significant difference between two groups regarding erythema and exudate reduction as well as WBC count and ESR. Administration of topical propolis ointment in addition to the conventional treatments of diabetic foot ulcer could reduce the size of ulcers with Wagner grades 1 and 2.     

Dose distribution verification in intraoperative radiation therapy using an N-isopropyl acrylamide-based polymer gel dosimeter

The purpose of the current study was to verify the dose distribution of an Intrabeam-50 kV IORT system using polymer gel dosimetry technique. Results of dose distribution evaluation using NIPAM polymer gel dosimetry were compared with those measured using an ionization chamber and simulated using MCNPX code. Results showed the calculated gamma index was less than 1 with 2% dose-difference/2 mm distance-to-agreement for comparison between NIPAM and ionization chamber as well as between NIPAM and MCNPX simulation. It was concluded that the NIPAM polymer gel dosimetry is useful for verifying the dose distribution of low energy X-ray IORT technique.

     

A one-pot synthesis of 5,5-disubstituted hydantoin derivatives using magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles as a reusable heterogeneous catalyst

A facile and rapid method for the one-pot synthesis of 5,5-disubstituted hydantoins in the presence of magnetic Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles has been developed. The multicomponent reactions of carbonyl compounds (aldehydes and ketones), potassium cyanide and ammonium carbonate were carried out under solvent-free conditions to obtain various hydantoin derivatives. The magnetic catalyst could be readily separated by an external magnet from the reaction mixture. This procedure has many advantages, such as the use of a reusable magnetic catalyst, high yields, short reaction times, simplicity and very easiness with implementing the methodology.     

A heterogenized vanadium oxo-aroylhydrazone catalyst for efficient and selective oxidation of hydrocarbons with hydrogen peroxide

A hydrazone Schiff base ligand derived from salicylaldehyde and benzhydrazide has been synthesized and reacted with vanadium(IV) leading to the corresponding vanadium(V) complex. The complex has been anchored on the surface of functionalized silica gel by N,O-coordination to the covalently Si–O bound modified salicylaldiminato ligand. The supported complex has been evaluated as a catalyst for hydrocarbon oxidation with hydrogen peroxide in acetonitrile. The heterogeneous system proved to be an efficient catalyst and was able to activate hydrogen peroxide toward the oxidation of alkenes, alkanes, benzene, and alkylaromatic compounds with more than 2,500 h⁻¹ activity.     

Optimization of the operational parameters in a fast axial flow CW CO2 laser using artificial neural networks and genetic algorithms

This paper presents an artificial intelligence approach for optimization of the operational parameters such as gas pressure ratio and discharge current in a fast-axial-flow CW CO₂ laser by coupling artificial neural networks and genetic algorithm. First, a series of experiments were used as the learning data for artificial neural networks. The best-trained network was connected to genetic algorithm as a fitness function to find the optimum parameters. After the optimization, the calculated laser power increases by 33% and the measured value increases by 21% in an experiment as compared to a non-optimized case.