Journals
2018 EN
Gomha Sobhi M. · El_Gendy Marwa S. · Muhammad Zeinab A.
+2 more
N′,N″ ‐([1,1’‐Biphenyl]‐4,4′‐diyl) bis (2‐oxopropanehydrazonoyl chloride) is considered to be the key intermediate for the synthesis of a variety bis ‐1,3,4‐thiadiazole derivatives in one step methodology with good yields by reaction of with a series of hydrazinecarbodithioate derivatives 2a–e , 6a , b , and 8a–e . The assigned structures for all the newly synthesized compounds were confirmed on the basis of elemental analyses and spectral data (infrared, NMR, and mass), and the mechanisms of their formation were also discussed. Moreover, the antimicrobial activity for twelve selected products was screened, and the results obtained exploring the high potency of some of the tested compounds compared with the employed standard bactericides and fungicides. In addition, the minimum inhibitory concentration of the tested compounds was determined, and the results obtained exploring the high potency of three of the tested compounds against all the tested microorganisms.
Journals
2018 EN
Bayat Mohammad · Amiri Zeinab
A simple and efficient one‐pot synthesis of tetrahydroacenaphtho[1,2‐ b ]indolone derivatives via four‐component reaction of 5,5‐dimethylcyclohexane‐1,3‐dione (dimedone), arylamines, acenaphthoquinone, and active methylene compounds under catalyst‐free conditions is described. The reactions were carried out under mild conditions using ethanol as solvent. Advantages of this method include simple experimental and workup procedure, readily available starting materials, and high yields.
Journals
2018 EN
Gomha Sobhi M. · Muhammad Zeinab A. · ElReedy Ahmed A. M.
A new series of 2,6‐dimethyl‐4‐phenyl‐ N ′3, N ′5‐bis(3‐phenyl‐1,3,4‐thiadiazol‐2(3 H )‐ylidene)‐1,4‐dihydropyridine‐3,5‐dicarbohydrazides were synthesized from reaction of 5,5′‐(2,6‐dimethyl‐4‐phenyl‐1,4‐dihydropyridine‐3,5‐diyl)bis(1,3,4‐oxadiazole‐2‐thiol) or diethyl 2,2′‐(2,6‐dimethyl‐4‐phenyl‐1,4‐dihydropyridine‐3,5‐dicarbonyl)bis(hydrazine‐1‐carbodithioate) with various hydrazonoyl chlorides. The structures of new compounds were established on the basis of their elemental analysis and IR, 1 H NMR, and mass spectral data. The anticancer activities of the synthesized compounds were screened for their activity against human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cell lines, and the results showed that compounds 6l , 6k , and 6e were the most active (IC 50 = 7.68 ± 9.8, 8.72 ± 9.7, and 9.78 ± 9.1 μM, respectively), compared with Cisplatin reference drug (IC 50 value of 1.40 ± 1.1 μM).
Journals
2018 EN
Alem Shereen Abdel · Said Mohamed · Anwar Ismail
+10 more
Progression of recurrent hepatitis C is accelerated in liver transplant (LT) recipients. Direct‐acting antivirals (DAAs) have recently emerged as a promising therapeutic regimen for the treatment of hepatitis C virus infection. Rates of sustained virological response (SVR) have drastically improved since the introduction of DAAs. The aim is to elucidate the changes in liver stiffness measurement (LSM) by transient elastography (TE) as well as acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) elastography and fibrosis scores after DAA treatment in LT recipients with hepatitis C virus recurrence. A single‐center, prospective study including 58 LT recipients with hepatitis C recurrence who received different sofosbuvir‐based treatment regimens. Transient elastography and ARFI elastography values were recorded as well as fibrosis 4 score (FIB‐4) and aspartate aminotransferase‐to‐platelet ratio index were calculated at baseline and SVR at week 24 (SVR24). The outcome was improvement in LSM and at least a 20% decrease in LSM at SVR24 compared with baseline. The sustained virological response was 98.1%. There was improvement of platelet counts, alanine aminotransferase, and aspartate aminotransferase, which in turn caused improvement in fibrosis scores at SVR24. LSM by TE and ARFI elastography decreased from the baseline median value of 6.3 kPa (interquartile range [IQR]; 4.6 to 8.8 kPa) and 1.28 m/s (IQR; 1.07 to 1.53 m/s) to an SVR24 median value of 6.2 kPa (IQR; 4.85 to 8.9 kPa) and 1.12 (IQR; 0.97 to 1.30 m/s), respectively. Logistic regression analysis showed that baseline viral load was the only significant predictor of improvement in LS after DAA therapy at SVR24. Sofosbuvir‐based treatment resulted in an early improvement in parameters of liver fibrosis in post‐LT patients with hepatitis C recurrence.
Journals
2018 EN
Fatemi Seyyedeh Zeinab · Shamsi Mostafa · Razmjooy Navid
In this paper, a Jacobi collocation method is presented for solving differential variational inequalities (DVIs). Differential variational inequalities consist of a differential equation and a variational inequality. A type of Jacobi‐Gauss collocation scheme with N knots is applied to the differential part of the problem whereas another type of Jacobi‐Gauss collocation scheme with N + 1 knots is applied to the variational part of it. So the DVI problem turns into a variational inequality problem. Electrical circuits with nonsmooth elements like ideal diodes are an important class of physical systems, which can be modeled as DVI problems. So in the numerical experiments, 1 example with smooth solutions and 4 illustrative examples of simple electrical circuits with ideal diodes are considered. Numerical results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method but slow convergence for the proposed method for some examples. The reason for slow convergence in this method is that the solutions of these DVIs are nonsmooth.
Journals
2018 EN
Abdi Omid · Shirvani Zeinab · Buchroithner Manfred F.
Advanced MODIS data have provided diverse products for assessing and monitoring natural vegetation affected by droughts. Between 2000 and 2016, we estimated monthly precipitation anomalies in the deciduous forests and semi‐steppe rangelands of northeastern Iran using kriging models, and analyzed 16‐day vegetation anomalies using vegetation greenness and water content indices—including the enhanced vegetation index, the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), and the normalized difference water index (NDWI). Vegetation anomalies showed high positive responses to interseasonal precipitation anomalies over the 17‐year period, and low positive responses to monthly precipitation deficits during critical droughts. Forest and rangeland anomalies recorded higher Moran's coefficients based on the NDVI ( I = 0.253 ± 0.102) and NDWI ( I = 0.284 ± 0.087) with interseasonal precipitation anomalies, respectively. Throughout critical droughts, the NDWI anomalies showed higher coefficients with monthly precipitation deficits for both forests ( I = 0.0716 ± 0.059) and rangelands ( I = 0.125 ± 0.0615). Nevertheless, there were only significant differences between the Moran's coefficients of the three vegetation indices for rangelands ( F = 2.873; p < 0.05). BiLISA maps indicated that sparse forests show higher spatial associations with drought conditions (High‐high cluster), whereas dense forests experienced lower stresses by severe droughts (High‐low outlier) during drought periods. Meanwhile, some severe vegetation stresses occurred at locations with low droughts (Low‐high outlier), which indicate the impact of other significant climate‐induced disturbances on vegetation anomalies.
Journals
2018 EN
Kavian Ataollah · Saleh Iman · Habibnejad Mahmoud
+3 more
Soil and water conservation in natural and cultivated areas is a major concern for humankind. However, there are severe problems with degraded hillslopes due to bare soils in northern Iran, which are one of the most important factors driving land degradation processes. Subsequently, soil erosion, pollutant transport, and/or nutrient impoverishment are affecting large territories; therefore, rapid and inexpensive soil conservation measures need to be implemented. The use of vegetative buffer strips could be an effective strategy to reduce pollutant transport as well as soil erosion. Thus, this research aimed to investigate the possible efficiency of two different vegetative buffer strips composed of vetiver‐grass ( Chrysopogon zizanioides ) and native turf‐grass ( Festuca arundinacea ) at reducing runoff and soil losses as well as nitrate transport on a representative degraded hillslope with bare soils in Mazandaran, Iran. Twelve 10 m 2 experimental plots were tested over 1 year using a runoff simulator that produced overland flow that corresponded to the 25‐ and 100‐year return period rainfall events. The plots with bare soils had the highest runoff volumes (30.5 and 55.4 L m −2 ), sediment concentrations (101.2 and 430.6 g L −1 ), and nitrate concentrations (10.4 and 37.6 mg L −1 ). Vetiver was the most useful tool to reduce runoff, soil loss, and nitrate concentration, with values of 13.4 and 28.6 L m −2 , 13.4 and 90.9 g L −1 , and 2.9 and 16.4 mg L −1 , respectively. Of the treatments investigated, vetiver provided the most rapid cover and was the most efficient at preventing soil erosion and nitrate transport directly after plantation.
Journals
2018 EN
Sahebi Zeinab · Yarahmadi Majid
Summary In this paper, a switching optimal adaptive controller for tracking a time‐dependent trajectory in finite‐dimensional closed quantum systems is proposed. The issue of intrinsic singularities in trajectory tracking control of quantum systems leads to a sharp rise in the control amplitude. To overcome this drawback, a switching optimal adaptive quantum controller is designed based on Lyapunov stability theory and optimal quantum control approach. A state‐dependent strategy is considered to select the switching signal. The new switching controller adjusts the quantum state so that its population traces the desired dynamic trajectory and simultaneously eliminates the effects of singularities and reduces the control amplitude. The proposed controller is tested successfully for population transfer in a 4‐level closed quantum system in a simulation experiment. Both issues of reduction of the tracking error and control intensity along with a significant decrease in the number of singular points are well illustrated by simulation experiment as the advantages of the proposed method.
Journals
2018 EN
Zhang Jian Min · Mousavi Zeinab · Soykeabkaew Nattkan
+1 more
A new type of self‐reinforced composite based on high‐performance aramid fibers was developed to produce an “all‐aramid” composite by applying a surface‐dissolution method to fuse poly( p ‐phenyleneterephthalamide) (PPTA) fibers together. After immersion in concentrated (95%) sulphuric acid (H 2 SO 4 ) for a selected period of time, partially dissolved fiber surfaces are converted into a PPTA matrix phase. Following extraction of sulphuric acid and drying, a consolidated composite structure is formed. By examining the microstructure and mechanical properties of all‐aramid composites, it was found in our previous study that the optimal immersion time of aramid fibers in 95% sulphuric acid was 120 s. In this article, other processing variables—including initial and final coagulation, coagulation time, consolidation pressure, and time—were regulated and their effects on the morphology, mechanical properties and, crystallization of all‐aramid composites were investigated and discussed. A series of optimal surface‐dissolution processing conditions were achieved to obtain the best‐achievable microstructure and mechanical properties of all‐aramid composites. All‐aramid composites prepared with these optimum conditions possess excellent mechanical properties along the direction of orientation with tensile strength of 1.44 GPa and tensile modulus of 76.8 GPa. As fiber, matrix, and interphase in all‐aramid composites are based on the same high‐temperature‐resistant PPTA polymer, these materials have the prospective potential for high‐temperature applications. POLYM. COMPOS., 39:3307–3316, 2018. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers
Journals
2018 EN
Hamidou Zeinab · Auquier Pascal · Leroy Tanguy
+4 more
Objective Researchers are interested in studying whether the quality of life (QoL) of cancer patients and caregivers is influenced by internal psychobehavioral processes (temporality and coping strategies) and the personality traits that they or their relatives experience. We examined these associations in a sample of patient‐caregiver dyads by using the actor‐partner interdependence model. Methods This cross‐sectional study involved 156 cancer patient‐caregiver dyads. The self‐reported data included QoL (Short‐Form 36), coping strategies (Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Scale), time perspectives (Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory), and personality (Big Five Inventory). The actor‐partner interdependence model was used to test the dyadic effect individualizing actor (degree to which the individual's characteristics were associated with their QoL) and partner (degree to which the individual's characteristics were associated with the QoL of the other dyad member) effects. Results Actor effects were found for patients and caregivers: The use of positive thinking and future/present‐hedonistic perspectives were associated with higher QoL; the use of avoidance and past‐negative perspective were associated with lower QoL. Partner effects were also found highlighting the specific mechanisms of the interconnections in the patient‐caregiver dyad. The patient's QoL was higher when the caregiver used social support and experienced openness. The caregiver's QoL was lower when the patient used social support and avoidance strategies and experienced future perspective. Conclusions The examination of the relationships between individuals' QoL and their internal psychobehavioral processes and personality traits will have several applications in the routine clinical management. Individual‐level and dyad‐level interventions should be proposed: cognitive‐rehabilitation, emotional and cognitive self‐regulation for time perspectives, and personality constructs.