Copper (50 MeV) and Oxygen (84 MeV) Ion Irradiation Probed Thermal,Structural and Optical Behavior of Polyethylene Terephthalate

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) films of 50?μm thickness were exposed to swift-heavy 50?MeV copper and 84?MeV oxygen ions, with fluence varying from 1?×?10¹¹ to 1?×?10¹³ ions cm^?2. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) and UV-visible spectroscopic techniques were used to characterize the irradiated samples. The XRD and DSC analysis indicated the loss of crystallinity during/after the irradiation. The FTIR spectra revealed the formation of alkyne end groups, C═C groups and structural deformation with increase of ion fluence. Considerable reduction in the value of the optical bandgap was inferred from the study of the UV-visible absorption curves.     

Existence results for a degenerated nonlinear elliptic partial differential equation

The aim of this paper is to establish the existence of weak solutions to a steady state two-dimensional irrotational compressible flow around a thin profile. This flow is described by the small disturbance equations. If the speed of sound exceeds the fluid one, the governing equations remain elliptic. But when the fluid speed is beyond the sound one, the flow becomes locally hyperbolic and shock waves arise. For a modified elliptic model, using convexity arguments, we prove the existence of a solution which is the solution to the first model when the flow remains subsonic.     

Identification of the Physical Parameters Used in the Thermo-Hygro-Mechanical Model

This paper describes different methods used to identify a large number of physical parameters of the thermo-hygro-mechanical coupling model. This model is developed on the basis of mechanics of porous media and deals with the prediction of response of a structure submitted to thermal, hygrometric and mechanical loading. The aim of this work is mainly to propose some experimental methods for the determination of physical parameters used previously in the model such as hygrometric parameters (liquid Biot's coefficient b _l , vapour and liquid permeability _v, _l and tangent capillary modulus N _ll). Thermal parameters such as thermal conductivity (), specific heat (C) and the thermo-hydrous expansion coefficient ( _i ^p ) have been identified using some works published previously. The different physical parameters were identified in the case of cement mortar without taking into account the influence of hysteresis.     

Myrothecoside,a Novel Glycosylated Polyketide from the Terrestrial Fungus Myrothecium sp. GS‐17

Based on the chemical analysis and targeted bioactivity screening, a new polyketide glycoside, myrothecoside, was isolated from a terrestrial halotolerant fungus, Myrothecium sp. GS‐17. The structure of myrothecoside was elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analysis including 1D‐ and 2D‐NMR (¹H,¹H‐COSY, HSQC, HMBC, and NOESY) experiments, combined with mass spectroscopic data and physicochemical properties. This compound exhibited weak cytotoxicity against human leukemia (HL‐60) cancer cell with an IG₅₀ value of 63.61 μm , and also antifungal activities against plant pathogenic fungi Rhizoctonia solani and Fusarium oxysporum using standard agar diffusion tests at 20 μg/disk.     

Assay of whole blood (6S)-5-CH3-H4folate using ultra performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry

Folates act as essential coenzymes in many biological pathways, including the synthesis and methylation of DNA. Low folate concentration in serum and whole blood (WB) is associated with several disease conditions. We describe a stable-isotope-dilution ultra performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method for the quantification of (6S)-5-CH(3)-H(4)folate (where H(4)folate is tetrahydrofolate) and non-CH(3)-H(4)folate [sum of HCO-H(4)folate, (6R)-5,10-CH(+)-H(4)folate, (6R)-5,10-CH(2)-H(4)folate, (6S)-H(4)folate, dihydrofolate, and folic acid] in WB. The assay includes a solid-phase extraction procedure after the hemolysis and deconjugation. The method was linear over the concentration range from 0.2 to 200 nmol/L. The limits of detection were 0.40 nmol/L or lower for the folate forms. The interassay coefficients of variation were 7.4% for (6S)-5-CH(3)-H(4)folate and 15.4% for non-CH(3)-H(4)folate. For the folate forms, the recoveries were between 97.1% and 102.7%. Sample preparation caused the generation of artificial folic acid in WB and serum in a dose-dependent manner, which can lead to misinterpretation of the results. The use of antioxidants could not prevent the formation of folic acid. The median fasting WB folate concentrations from 42 nonsupplemented and nonfortified adults were 576 nmol/L (6S)-5-CH(3)-H(4)folate and 73.6 nmol/L non-CH(3)-H(4)folate, and 1,206 nmol/L (6S)-5-CH(3)-H(4)folate and 155 nmol/L non-CH(3)-H(4)folate for 35 adults who had taken 500 μg of folic acid, 50 mg of vitamin B(6), and 500 μg of vitamin B(12) per day orally for 6 months. In conclusion, the UPLC-MS/MS method is fast and has a good sensitivity and selectivity for WB folates. We observed a dose-dependent oxidation of (6S)-H(4)folate, which resulted in the formation of artificial folic acid in serum and WB. To minimize this effect, we recommend a fast sample preparation.     

Structural investigations on sodium-lead borophosphate glasses doped with vanadyl ions

Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), optical absorption, and FT-IR spectra of vanadyl ions in the sodium-lead borophosphate (Na(2)O-PbO-B(2)O(3)-P(2)O(5)) (SLBP) glass system have been studied. EPR spectra of all the glass samples exhibit resonance signals characteristic of VO(2+) ions. The spin Hamiltonian parameters g and A are found to be independent of the V(2)O(5) content and temperature. The values of the spin Hamiltonian parameters indicate that the VO(2+) ions in SLBP glasses are present in octahedral sites with tetragonal compression. The population difference between Zeeman levels (N) is calculated as a function of temperature for an SLBP glass sample containing 1.0 mol % VO(2+) ions. From the EPR data, the paramagnetic susceptibility (χ) is calculated at different temperatures, and the Curie constant (C) is calculated from the 1/χ versus T graph. The optical absorption spectra of the glass samples show two absorption bands, and they are attributed to V(3+) and V(4+) ions. The optical band gap energy (E(opt)) and Urbach energy (ΔE) are calculated from their ultraviolet absorption edges. It is observed that, as the vanadium ion concentration increases, E(opt) decreases and ΔE increases. The study of the IR absorption spectrum depicts the presence of BO(3), BO(4), PO(3), PO(4), and VO(5) structural units.     

Pharmacological Properties of 4′, 5, 7-Trihydroxyflavone (Apigenin) and Its Impact on Cell Signaling Pathways

Plant bioactive compounds, particularly apigenin, have therapeutic potential and functional activities that aid in the prevention of infectious diseases in many mammalian bodies and promote tumor growth inhibition. Apigenin is a flavonoid with low toxicities and numerous bioactive properties due to which it has been considered as a traditional medicine for decades. Apigenin shows synergistic effects in combined treatment with sorafenib in the HepG2 human cell line (HCC) in less time and statistically reduces the viability of tumor cells, migration, gene expression and apoptosis. The combination of anti-cancerous drugs with apigenin has shown health promoting potential against various cancers. It can prevent cell mobility, maintain the cell cycle and stimulate the immune system. Apigenin also suppresses mTOR activity and raises the UVB-induced phagocytosis and reduces the cancerous cell proliferation and growth. It also has a high safety threshold, and active (anti-cancer) doses can be gained by consuming a vegetable and apigenin rich diet. Apigenin also boosted autophagosome formation, decreased cell proliferation and activated autophagy by preventing the activity of the PI3K pathway, specifically in HepG2 cells. This paper provides an updated overview of apigenin’s beneficial anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, and anticancer effects, making it a step in the right direction for therapeutics. This study also critically analyzed the effect of apigenin on cancer cell signaling pathways including the PI3K/AKT/MTOR, JAK/STAT, NF-κB and ERK/MAPK pathways.     

The behavior of poly(amino acids) containing l‐cysteine and their block copolymers with poly(ethylene glycol) on gold surfaces

Poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) is often used to biocompatibilize surfaces of implantable biomedical devices. Here, block copolymers consisting of PEG and l ‐cysteine‐containing poly(amino acid)s (PAA's) were synthesized as polymeric multianchor systems for the covalent attachment to gold surfaces or surfaces decorated with gold nanoparticles. Amino‐terminated PEG was used as macroinitiator in the ring‐opening polymerization, (ROP), of respective amino acid N‐carboxyanhydrides (NCA's) of l ‐cysteine (l ‐Cys), l ‐glutamate (l ‐Glu), and l ‐lysine (l ‐Lys). The resulting block copolymers formed either diblock copolymers, PEG‐b‐p(l ‐Glu_x‐co‐l ‐Cys_y) or triblock copolymers, PEG‐b‐p(l ‐Glu)_x‐b‐p(l ‐Cys)_y. The monomer feed ratio matches the actual copolymer composition, which, together with high yields and a low polydispersity, indicates that the NCA ROP follows a living mechanism. The l ‐Cys repeat units act as anchors to the gold surface or the gold nanoparticles and the l ‐Glu repeat units act as spacers for the reactive l ‐Cys units. Surface analysis by atomic force microscopy revealed that all block copolymers formed homogenous and pin‐hole free surface coatings and the phase separation of mutually immiscible PEG and PAA blocks was observed. A different concept for the biocompatibilization of surfaces was followed when thiol‐terminated p(l ‐Lys) homopolymer was first grafted to the surface and then covalently decorated with HOOC‐CH₂‐PEG‐b‐p(Bz‐l ‐Glu) polymeric micelles. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2014 , 52, 248–257