Radiation Synthesis and Magnetic Property Investigations of the Graft Copolymer Poly(Ethylene-g-Acrylic Acid)/Fe<Subscript>3</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript> Film

In this work, acrylic acid (AAc) monomer was grafted onto low-density polyethylene (LDPE) films by the direct method to obtain acid (LDPE-grafted poly(acrylic acid) (LDPE-g-PAAc)) graft copolymers. The presence of the grafted PAAc with COOH groups allows coupling with Fe^2+/3+ ions. The stabilization of Fe₃O₄ particles onto the graft copolymers was done by in situ reduction of LDPE-g-PAAc/Fe^2+/3+ with sodium borohydride (NaBH₄) in aqueous solution. The LDPE-g-PAAc graft copolymer and LDPE-g-PAAc/Fe₃O₄ composite films were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and electron spin resonance (ESR). The synthesized composites exhibit excellent magnetic properties. The results indicated that the magnetic oxide (Fe₃O₄) was embedded and homogenously dispersed into the surfaces of the graft copolymer films as indicated by SEM. The FT-IR analysis clearly suggests that an AAc monomer was effectively grafted onto LDPE. The XRD studies elucidate the change in the crystallinity of the graft copolymers.

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Graphical Abstract The procedures for magnetic film manufacture LDPE-g-PAAc/Fe₃O₄ using gamma irradiation technique

     

Extraction,optimisation and characterisation of phenolics from Thymus vulgaris L.: phenolic content and profiles in relation to antioxidant,antidiabetic and antihypertensive properties

The objectives of this study were to examine varying extraction conditions of Thymus vulgaris L. as related to phenolic content and profiles of the extracts and their antioxidant, antihypertensive and antidiabetic properties. Phenolics were extracted under various conditions pertaining to free and bound phenolics, solvent type and combination of extraction time and temperature, and these extracts were evaluated in terms of their antioxidant activities and inhibitory activities of angiotensin‐converting enzyme (ACE), α‐glucosidase and α‐amylase. The acetone–water solvent mixture (1:1; v/v) produced the extract with the greatest phenolic content, antioxidant activity and inhibitory activities of ACE and α‐glucosidase. The optimal extraction temperature for maximum phenolic content and antioxidant activity associated with methanol extraction was 60 °C, whereas a lower temperature at 40 °C was required to maximise inhibitory activities for ACE, α‐glucosidase and α‐amylase. An inverse relationship was seen between antioxidant and glucosidase inhibitory activities vs. the ACE and α‐amylase inhibitory activities, which suggests the need for extractions to be directed to specific bioactivities of thyme extracts. Generally, the results indicate major differences in phenolic profiles among the tested extraction conditions with thymol as the predominant phenolic seen in most extractions, while gallic acid, rosmarinic acid or diosmin also predominated in other extracts. Extracts with the same predominant phenolic compound and similar phenolic content showed major disparities in their ACE, glucosidase and α‐amylase inhibitory activities, indicating that the major phenolic profiles of thyme extracts may not be necessarily related to the degree of inhibition of ACE, glucosidase and α‐amylase enzymes.     

Synthesis,photophysical properties,and application of optical brighteners based on stilbene-oxadiazole derivatives

A series of symmetrical optical brighteners based on stilbene-oxadiazole derivatives were prepared by the simple synthetic route of a condensation reaction between 4,4′-dicarboxystilbene and N,N′-carbonyldiimidazole reagent, forming stilbene 4,4′-ethene-1,2-diyldibenzohydrazide as a key intermediate. The obtained compounds were characterised by analysis of nuclear magnetic resonance, mass spectrometry, and elemental analysis data. The absorption maximum wavelength, fluorescence emission wavelength, and fluorescence quantum yield were measured in N,N-dimethylformamide solution at room temperature, and the fluorescence properties of the prepared compounds in the solid state were observed and measured. The compounds exhibited bluish and greenish fluorescence emission, with the fluorescence quantum yield in the range 0.2–0.8; the effects of substituents on the emission spectra of these compounds were interpreted. The prepared compounds were applied as optical brighteners to polyester and polyamide-6 fabrics at various concentrations, and their CIE whiteness index and fastness properties were studied.     

pH Responsive Abelmoschus esculentus Mucilage and Administration of Methotrexate: In-Vitro Antitumor and In-Vivo Toxicity Evaluation

The rapid progression in biomaterial nanotechnology apprehends the potential of non-toxic and potent polysaccharide delivery modules to overcome oral chemotherapeutic challenges. The present study is aimed to design, fabricate and characterize polysaccharide nanoparticles for methotrexate (MTX) delivery. The nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared by Abelmoschus esculentus mucilage (AEM) and chitosan (CS) by the modified coacervation method, followed by ultra-sonification. The NPs showed much better pharmaceutical properties with a spherical shape and smooth surface of 213.4–254.2 nm with PDI ranging between 0.279–0.485 size with entrapment efficiency varying from 42.08 ± 1.2 to 72.23 ± 2.0. The results revealed NPs to possess positive zeta potential and a low polydispersity index (PDI). The in-vitro drug release showed a sustained release of the drug up to 32 h with pH-dependence. Blank AEM -CS NPs showed no in-vivo toxicity for a time duration of 14 days, accompanied by high cytotoxic effects of optimized MTX loaded NPs against MCF-7 and MD-MBA231 cells by MTT assay. In conclusion, the findings advocated the therapeutic potential of AEM/CS NPs as an efficacious tool, offering a new perspective for pH-responsive routing of anticancer drugs with tumor cells as a target.     

Adulterated butterfat: Fatty acid composition of triglycerides and 2-monoglycerides

Beef tallow and cottonseed oil were mixed with a pure butterfat in the ratios of 2%, 4% and 6% to obtain admixtures of beef tallow with butterfat and cottonseed oil with butterfat. The hydrolysis of individual triglycerides was carried out using the lipase to obtain 2-monoglycerides. The results indicated that butterfat had a higher percentage of C14:0 and C16:0 acids than found in the triglycerides and 2-monoglycerides of beef tallow and cottonseed oil. Beef tallow contained a higher proportion of C18:0 and C18:1 acids than butterfat and cottonseed oil triglycerides or 2-monoglycerides. Cottonseed oil had a higher percentage of C18:2 acid located in triglyceride or 2-monoglyceride than found in butterfat or beef tallow triglycerides and 2-monoglycerides. The analysis of the samples of butterfat containing 2%, 4% and 6% beef tallow revealed that the addition of beef tallow to butterfat affected the fatty acid composition of butterfat triglycerides and 2-monoglycerides with C18:0 and C18:1 acids; the effect was increased with increasing percentages of beef tallow. The addition of cottonseed oil to butterfat in the ratios of 2%, 4% and 6% affected the fatty acid composition of butterfat triglycerides and 2-monoglycerides. It was found that both C18:1 and C18:2 increased as the added cottonseed oil percentages increased.     

Influence of Inoculant Type on the Microstructure Characteristics and Mechanical Properties of Ductile Iron

Transactions of the Indian Institute of Metals - The inoculation process of molten cast iron defines the final microstructure of the produced castings. The current study is concerned with the...     

Improving the quality of minced beef by using mulberry leaves extract

The aim of this research was to study the use of different concentrations (2, 4 and 6% w/w) of methanolic extract of mulberry leaves (Morus spp.) to increase the shelf life of minced beef. Treated samples were compared with the control and gamma irradiated sample at dose level of 5 kGy during cold storage at (4?±?1?°C) for 24 days. Microbiological, chemical and sensory characteristics of treated minced beef were determined every 2 days during the cold storage. Obtained results showed that minced beef treated with different concentrations of mulberry leaves methanolic extract reduced the initial total bacterial count, psychrophilic bacteria, enterobacteriaceae and total mold & yeast as well as prolonged the shelf-life of minced beef compared to the control. Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Enterococcus faecalis and Escherichia coli counts were reduced. The mulberry leaves methanolic extract caused slight increase in the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and total volatile nitrogen contents of minced beef during the cold storage. Sensory results showed that the shelf life of minced beef was 6 days for the control, and 8, 10, and 14 days for minced samples treated with mulberry leaves methanolic extract (2, 4 and 6%) respectively compared to gamma irradiated (22 days).     

Rice Bran Oil Improves Insulin Resistance by Affecting the Expression of Antioxidants and Lipid‐Regulatory Genes

The present study investigated the molecular effects of rice bran oil (RBO) on lipid‐regulatory genes (sterol regulatory element binding protein‐1 [Srebf1] and peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptors‐α [Ppara]) and the expression of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD1) genes in insulin‐resistant rats. Rats were divided into five groups: animals that received standard diet (control); rats fed standard diet containing RBO as the sole source of fat (RBO); a high‐fructose diet (HFD) group, which was further divided into two subgroups: rats fed HFD either for only 1 month (HFD1) or for 2 months (HFD2) and rats fed HFD containing RBO for 1 month; while rats in the last group fed HFD for 30 days then treated with RBO for another 30 days. The HFD induced a state of insulin resistance (IR) as indicated by the hyperinsulinemia and elevated homeostasis model assessment insulin resistance index. Hepatic lipid levels and radical scavenging enzymes were altered by the HFD. Lipid‐regulatory genes, Srebf1 and Ppara, were upregulated while Sod1 and Cat were downregulated in insulin‐resistant rats. Addition of RBO to the two diet regimens alleviated the disorders of IR to some extent. RBO reduced the hepatic levels of triacylglycerol, malondialdehyde, SREBP, and PPAR‐α mRNA. Hepatic SOD and CAT were elevated at gene and protein levels. The HFD induces de novo lipogenesis by upregulating the lipid‐regulatory genes resulting in increased serum and hepatic triacylglycerol. Moreover, IR induced by the HFD caused a state of oxidative stress. Supplementation of RBO to fructose‐fed rats not only improves insulin resistance but also downregulates lipogenic genes and improves the unbalanced oxidative status.